Peaceful Chaos
by Ootori Tatsu
Summary: The war has ended with Starscream's request for peace. Now the Decepticons and Autobots must team up to fight a new threat. But what can you do when when of your own is the puppet of their leader? Updated summary. Rating went up.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello, I'm new on this fan base and it's all the fault of Transformer plot bunnies. Here's what you get and right now I can't work on my other stories because all my information is on a different computer.

Summary: The war has ended with Starscream's request for peace. The Autobots readily comply but tensions are still high strung amongst the two factions. How could they possibly solve this problem?

Time Tables:

Nanoklick: a second

Klick: a minute

Joor: an hour

Decacycle: a month

Vorn: a year

Ch 1: The Ambassador

Leaning back in my chair I look at the ceiling. I had not expected everything to be desk work after the truce extended by the Decepticons. The peace was welcoming though. I wonder not for the first time how negotiations were going between the Autobots and Decepticons.

From where they sat they ruled all of Cybertron. But after the defeat of Megatron, by Starscream of all bots, peace had been offered and forces drawn away from areas of Cybertron.

"Sir, the ambassador from Vos would like a word." Bluestreak calls in, sounding a bit nervous. What did he have to fear from an ambassador?

"Send them in." I call back. A moment later the door to my office slides back to reveal Starscream himself as well as a smaller seeker who was black or a very dark blue and silver with very discreet yellow accents. Starscream stands patiently while the other seeker can't seem to stay still.

"Skyseam, if you don't want to go back to Vos then I suggest you stand still." Starscream finally says and the other seeker stops mid-fidget, trying to not move at all.

"Sorry sir." As she speaks I realize she was a femme. Her body shape didn't look too different except that her body was slimmer, the didgets on her servos longer, and her peds smaller.

"I thought I was just meeting the ambassador for Vos, not the leader." Starscream raises an optic ridge at my statement.

"I am the ambassador. I turned down leadership of that area as well as leadership for the Decepticons. After beating Megatron I realized I didn't want to lead much anymore. Besides if I had taken leadership for Vos then I could hardly leave Vos and I'd only get to choose someone from Vos as a mate. Figures I'm not all that interested in fliers." He seems to relax a bit and Skyseam shifts a little.

"Well, if you're the ambassador then who's she?" I direct at the second seeker her stiffens again.

"An apprentice of sorts. She's learning trick flying as well as other things from me and I couldn't spare the time for lessons as well as meetings in Iacon so I took her with me. Why don't you go entertain yourself in the lobby or something?" She skips out of the room and as the door slides closed again Starscream shakes his helm.

"You can take a seat if you want." I say and he looks at the low chairs. Choosing one he sits on top of the back, peds resting in the cushion. "So, what brings you here?"

"Just figured you'd want to know that, as a favor to me, Soundwave has decided to pull all Decepticon forces out of Iacon completely. The only exception is I, my trine and my apprentice's trine. I can't just let go of teaching Skyseam to concentrate on politics." He rolls his optics. "Ugh, politics."

"So why is Soundwave ordering all Decepticons to pull out? I know if you're now an ambassador then that leaves Soundwave and Shockwave as the current leaders."

"Didn't you know? Shockwave tried to rebel when I commanded all Decepticons to stand down. We had a small war amongst ourselves and he lost." So Soundwave was the new Decepticon leader? No doubt my higher ups already knew this.

"You could have just sent a message. No doubt you told my higher ups." I respond and he gives me a smile.

"Yeah, but if I had Skyseam would be scorching the floor in her quarters. Oh, before I forget." He hands me a data file he was carrying and tilts his helm upwards. "It's contact info. We're supposed to be direct relations. If you have any questions just ask." There's a loud cracking, screeching sound as Starscream pulls his helm all the way back. "Didn't know if I could still pop considering all the mauling Megatron did to me."

"I do have a few questions actually. Why did the Decepticons offer a truce?"

"They didn't, I did. They forgot what we started this war for and were bent on galactic conquest. All we wanted originally was equality and certain freedoms denied to us." I'd have to ask about that in detail later.

"I'm guessing you did a favor for Soundwave to request the retreat of all Decepticon forces in Iacon. What was it, or is that too personal?" I expect him to bristle at the meaning behind my words but instead his optics dim and his servos move to rest gripping his knees.

"Soundwave is nothing like that, just one of the few friends I actually have. He would never exploit me and I would never exploit him. No, my favor to him is outside in the lobby probably giving your secretary a processor ache. We always had a tough time convincing Megatron we hated each other."

"I could have sworn all my reports on you two said you hated each other."

"We're Decepticons; deception is one of the things some of us do best. Er, not meaning to hint that I'd compromise this truce."

"So wait, she's his creation? I thought he only had the cassettes."

"The cassettes are creations made from him alone. Before the war there was this seeker he fell in love with. Actually, I believe Skyseam is only fifty vorns younger than me. The seeker he fell for is almost nothing like Soundwave. He has personality, good looks, and was a pretty fast flier if I read reports accurately although not as fast as me. Wasn't too smart though, talked too much, had way too much energy, and was pretty much a coward. Guess he saw something in Soundwave. I heard he even got to see Soundwave without his mask and visor on and still loved him. Name was Backfire if I remember correctly."

"I can't imagine the council will just let you walk around unguarded." It wasn't really a question just an opinion. Starscream points a null ray at my helm and I start to scramble backwards. Then a series of clicks fills the air.

"All weapons offline. Plus, if it weren't for me you wouldn't be here right now. I'm not gloating, it's a fact. If you're done asking I can leave you to your work. I'm sure your secretary would like a reprieve." He stands up and steps gracefully off the chair.

"Just one more question." He turns to look at me. "You said you were teaching Skyseam something other than trick flying, what was it?"

"Science of course. It's what I excel at." And with these words he opens the door and walks out.

-Starscream's POV-

Walking out into the lobby I catch site of my charge, not bothering the secretary but instead flirting with a newcomer I knew only a little about.

Hotshot being Hotshot was shamelessly flirting back, although he seemed to be very careful about it. "So you've been to earth?" Skyseam asks, leaning on Hotshot's armrest and lifting one leg behind her.

"Sure have, its quiet pretty but not as pretty as yourself." He replied. She offered a shy giggle which was something I'd never seen her do.

"I've never been off planet before. Must be nice to see new places." Since I didn't feel like earning Soundwave's ire I walk over and poke her in the back of the helm. She loses her pose and stands straight. Hotshot had stiffened in his seat and was watching me carefully.

"Come on and we'll work on your flying. Besides, Cloudstrutter and Freefall will be here in a couple joors. Wouldn't you want to tell them just how far off the leash I let you?" As I finish she belts it out the door and leaps into the air. I allow myself a smile at her revelry as she dipped and spun in the air, I'd let her have her fun for now then swamp her with a project after our trines arrived.

"Didn't know there were still Decepticons in the city." I hear Hotshot say and I turn back to him.

"Funny you'd seem resentful considering you were flirting with one." Without waiting for a reply I walk out the door and follow my apprentice's path into the sky. 

A/N First chapter is finished but I have forty pages total written for this story. I should have about ten chapters then. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Let's keep on rolling. This chapter takes place only one joor later.

Time Tables:

Nanoklick: a second

Klick: a minute

Joor: an hour

Decacycle: a month

Vorn: a year

Ch 2: A Strut before a Fall

"Alright, I think I know where you're going wrong on the immediate back turn. When you fly forward fling out your legs and ignite your thrusters at the same time and it'll rocket you backwards. Watch." I perform the maneuver, flicking out my legs in a split second to zip past Skyseam. Coming to an immediate stop I glance downwards at the area below. We hadn't left the main political offices area and had accumulated a few watchers. As I start to pull my optics from the ground they lock in on a figure standing on a roof.

Skyseam comes to a stop in front of me but glanced down as well. "So boss bot, do you find that red and blue ground mech attractive? If you ask me too much red and not enough blue."

"No one asked you and I'd rather not have your creator kill me because I killed you first. Now show me the maneuver once more." She does as she's told but with a sly chuckle meaning she caught on to the fact that I hadn't denied her former question. Rolling a shoulder plate I feel my wings start to itch. I didn't exactly like having her know that I liked Optimus but I could trust her not to tell anyone, not even her trine.

As the second joor comes to a close my comm. link springs into life. "Hey Starscream, you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Where are you at Thundercracker?"

"We're flying into the palace district right now. Warp and Strut are going to be behind schedule though. Warp was showing off and teleported, flying right into a wall on accident. At least Strut offered to stay behind to help pick up Warp's parts." By this time I had Skyseam doing dips and dives around me, humming a tune she'd picked out from her creator's earth audio files.

"We'll meet you and Freefall at the coordinates." Grabbing Skyseam's helm I drag her after me as I start heading towards the guest house we had chosen.

Just as we touch down I see TC and Fall just pulling into a dive. Freefall wasn't hard to figure out, being as he was just like TC minus his paint job and the fact that he had a rather nasty attitude. He was nearly all white with frosty blue lines on his wings and over his arms and peds, his face plates and joints were pitch black. But as they touch down as well and transform I noticed the smaller seeker had added a line of dark blue, TC's favorite color, to his wing lines.

"Ah, so cool Freefall! I really like the added paint." Skyseam says as she bobs around him in the air, scarcely three feet off the ground. "Guess what Fall? Starscream let me try out these new maneuvers! Oh can I show him the nose dive trick flip? Pleading: Please?"

Well that was clearly a sign she was excited. Whenever she became over excited or extremely distressed/angry her processor told her she had to state what she meant or who she addressed before actually saying what she wanted. "No, now on the ground. I would have thought you would be low on energy after those maneuvers." Then I turn to Thundercracker who was giving me a disapproving look.

"Do you think that was such a good idea?" Both he and Freefall say at the same time.

"You've just put her at a higher level then the rest of her trine is ready for." Thundercracker says.

"At least I won't be the first to end in the scrap heap." Freefall adds to Skyseam who immediately dropped her hovering and backed away, lowering her optics. Unlike TC, Freefall seemed to always come across as malicious to his trine leader. I wasn't allowed to do anything and neither was anyone outside her trine. It didn't help my young protege that her other trine member, Cloudstrutter, didn't support her either.

Another step back and I figured out what Seam was doing. When it came to leadership she became just like me, cunning and conniving. Freefall took the bait and charged forward. With a graceful swing Seam turned on a ped as Freefall flew past and launched her leg out to kick him and give him more momentum. Nimbly she dances to the side, enticing her trine mate to make another move. When he did she flung her leg upwards and her ped slammed into his chin.

She never took it farther than she had too, little Skyseam. As I watch her offer him a servo up I remember back when I had first been put in a trine. Skywarp had been my opposer that time and I had dealt with him just like Seam dealt with Fall. The sound of labored thrusters make all four of us look up. Skywarp lands next to me with a loud sigh, looking a bit better then I would have expected for going nearly full speed into a wall.

The last seeker to arrive was Cloudstrutter who was polishing a section of armor with a cloth, making his orange yellow and grey paint shine in the afternoon light. He had to be the vainest seeker I had ever met, the kid was worse then me, which was saying something.

Immediately, before Cloudstrutter even landed, Skyseam launches into the air to fly around her last trine member. Cloudstrutter was actually the reason their trine was with us at all since Seekers didn't have apprentices. The little orange and grey seeker possessed the rare ability to teleport just like Warp. Since it took training he was placed with Skywarp as a teacher. Personality wise Strut was not only vain but he was also apathetic. He didn't do much of anything except to polish himself.

All three of their trine had made a group decision to adopt our jet forms as alt modes so it was like looking at younger versions of ourselves just with different paint jobs. "Sir, can I go out and explore a bit? Fall and Strut would be coming of course." Skyseam says, dropping back down to ground level.

"Let em go Screamer, it leaves us time to catch up." Warp adds, inspecting the dents he had gained.

"They have to take care of themselves at sometime anyway." TC chips in.

Sighing I wave a servo at Skyseam who lifts into the air with a flourish. Just as the other members of her trine catch up she shoots forward, calling out "quick, do a barrel roll!" which she did, throwing off her trine.

"Makes you wonder what kind of bots were her creators." Skywarp says as he begins walking to the guest quarters. As TC and I follow we begin to catch up.

-Skyseam's POV-

Mech, was it good to be airborne. Okay, so I was getting low on energy and my wings ached a little due to the strain of the flight here and all the extra flying I did today but I could still go for a hundred miles more. As we enter the city district I stake out a landing and drop from the sky. My trine mates land next to me and I turn to them with a smile.

"So I was thinking we could explore some of the city and maybe-"

"I doesn't matter what the others say, we aren't going to follow you." Cloudstrutter cuts me off and I flinch backwards.

"Why don't you go and find your way around by yourself, if you're so much better?" Freefall adds.

"But, we're trine. We're supposed to be together. And I never said I was better." I knit my digits on my servos together for emphasis but my trine members snort. "Besides, I'm the leader and what I say goes."

"Not this slag again. One, you're the youngest, meaning WE should have superiority. Two, a femme isn't fit to lead. Three, your not really a seeker, just a tape deck in a seeker's body. The only reason you lead is because of your tape deck creator." Strut's words stung. I didn't even try for a reply as they turned and walked away. Letting my wings sag I watch the section of the crowd they had disappeared in. 


	3. Chapter 3

Time Tables:

Nanoklick: a second

Klick: a minute

Joor: an hour

Decacycle: a month

Vorn: a year

Ch 3: Danger in Iacon

"Wow, that was harsh." Immediately on alert I spin around to find myself faced with a ground mech. He was an Earth veteran of course, due to what he had painted on his armor. His optics catch mine from behind his blue visor and he gave me a wide smile. "I thought trines were supposed to show a unified front."

"I-I'm new to being part of a trine. But what they said was right." He peers closely at me and I feel my wings hike up in alarm.

"You don't look part tape deck and I didn't know they could inhabit a seeker's frame." He offered me a servo and I cautiously shake it. "My name's Jazz. If I'm correct you're one of the younger seekers allowed to stay in the city, right?"

In spite of myself I smile. "Yeah, my name is Skyseam, Seam for short." He let's go of my servo and pushes me ahead of him.

"Well Seam, I think I should give you the tour. I think your partners are well lost by now. How old are ya?"

"198 vorns." I reply and he drags me into a neon lit building.

"Old enough!" As I glance around the building I realize it was a bar slash dance club. As the music booms in my audio I smile and shut off my optics. Right at home. "Stay with me Seam. I'll introduce you to my comrades." Jazz says as he tugs me through the mass of moving mechs.

He shoves me into a booth where other mechs were sitting and slides in next to me. "Hey Jazz, a bit late aren't you?" One of the three mechs calls from his part of the table. The other two were watching me closely and I felt the table draw my optics.

"Yeah, just thought I'd bring this one along." Jazz elbows me and I smile slightly. "Come one Seam, don't be so shy, they won't bite." I lift my head and catch all three looking. An orange and light blue one, nearest the end of the table leans over.

"So, you new in Iacon? I'm Seaspray by the way." Before I can answer another mech shows up and sits down next to Jazz.

"Sorry I'm late guys. Traffic is horrible tonight." It was the mech from earlier at the office. Hotshot if I remembered correctly. He looks over at me and breaks into a wide grin.

"Hey, the seeker from before. Skyseam right?" I nod and the smile gets a bit wider. The mech in the middle begins to laugh.

"Come on Hotshot, a seeker wouldn't look twice at ground mechs like us." He supplies and I roll my optics.

"That's not true Tracks." Hotshot replies and blows me a kiss. Despite myself I felt the tips of my wings flutter and heat rise to my face. "We flirted earlier in Optimus' office." Tracks let's out a snort and before long I find myself ogling the dance floor.

"How light on your peds are you Seam?" Jazz asks as he kicks Hotshot out of the booth, oblivious to his objections. He offers me a servo up and leads me to an empty part of the floor and calls over his shoulder. "You can share Hotshot."

As a new song starts I pick a stance. Thankfully it was a song I knew. As the music booms I launch myself over the floor, whipping in and out and swaying at the appropriate moments. High stepping around the floor I find that Jazz was keeping perfect time.

We matched each other step for step and as the music came to a stop we stopped in the same pose. Then we danced the next song. By the end I was thoroughly worn out and I made my way back to the table as someone else joined Jazz. By now only one mech was still at the table, Seaspray.

He slid a cube of energon over to me and I took a gulp then immediately felt like spewing it out as it burned the pit out of my throat. Spluttering after I sent it through my pipes I peer at the energon and slide it back.

"What is that?" Is the only thing I can rasp out as my optics become slightly staticy.

"High grade. Guess you seekers can't handle your energon." Seaspray chuckles as he downs the cube. Looking over I noticed he'd already downed three others. "So, I assume you were a neutral during the war?" He asks.

"Ah, no. I'm a Decepticon." The entire area around us goes dead silent, no bot moving. Eventually the entire bar became quiet and still, not even the music played anymore. As I glanced around I found everyone staring at me like I didn't belong. Just like back in Vos. As my optics return to the table I feel someone lift me up. I prepared to launch a ped where it didn't belong but found myself looking up at Jazz and I felt my fight programming shut off and flight programming start to kick in.

"We need to get you out of here." He mutters as he lifts me over his head and makes a bee line for the door. Just as it slides open someone grabs my wings and yanks backwards, throwing me on the floor.

"So, you think you still own Iacon don't you Decepticon glitch? How about I give you a taste of what your people did to mine." My processor registered horror as a servo slammed right into my helm. As I try to fight back I feel multiple servos and peds landing blows on my frame. A searing pain on my back made me screech, scream after scream escaping my vocals as they ripped my wings from my back.

I felt the delicate glass cockpit shatter after a few blows. The blows stopped as shots were fired into the crowd and I was lifted gingerly off the ground. My optics flickered and I couldn't hear anything but static after the shots. Eventually my optics cleared and I found myself staring at a crowd upside down. Straining my neck cables I bring my helm up to see that Jazz was carrying me. Hotshot ran alongside carrying something that rose up past his helm. Clawing pain on my back plates helped me realize they were my wings.

My air filtration system was struggling to stay online and I realize my chassis was bent inward. The only thing going through my processor as my body shut off the areas in pain was how disappointed Starscream would be.

Just as I'm about to offline my audio starts to clear and I can hear Jazz repeating over and over. "Don't offline, don't offline." These mechs must have been fast considering when I dropped my helm back we were somewhere by palace district and I was being rushed inside a well lit building. A quick glance told me it was a med bay and my vocals groan. I hated med bays. Just as Jazz calls for someone named Ratchet I finally offline.

-Optimus' POV-

Walking into the med bay I find Hotshot and Jazz sitting in the lobby chairs, covered in dried energon. Neither seemed to be damaged but that wasn't what I was concerned about. If Skyseam died the war would start up again seeing as it was Autobots attacking a Decepticon who hadn't provoked a fight. Not to mention it was the Decepticon leader's creation. And right now the Autobots could easily be torn apart.

"Tell me, you didn't tell Starscream yet did you?" I ask as Jazz looks up.

"No."

"Redalert might have. But since he isn't exploding through the doors I expect he hasn't."

It was both good and bad. It meant I could avoid a blow up from the newly appointed Vos ambassador but it also meant I would have to tell him at some point. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N You should know the times table by now.

Ch 4:

Opening my comm. link I input the frequency Starscream would be on. "Starscream are you there?"

"I'm flattered you're calling so late Prime but I'm busy reprimanding my charges."

"I assume you're missing one."

The comm. link goes silent except for the sound of filtering air. "Please tell me she's in your custody." His voice sounded so hopeful.

"I need you down in med bay." The link shuts off abruptly and a few clicks later Starscream was indeed exploding through the doors.

"What the pit happened?" He demands, his voice elevated into a scream. "Where is she?"

"Well, you're certainly not going to see her in that state." A new voice adds in. Turning I see Ratchet coming from the emergency room. He was drying his servos with a cloth but he still had flecks of dried energon on him. "The damage was extensive. You're lucky they avoided hitting her spark after her cockpit glass broke. If they hadn't I assume daddy Soundwave would be up in arms. Give her a few orns to wake up. She's not allowed to fly for a Decacycle though." This seamed to calm Starscream down a bit but I could tell he was still angry by the way he stood and how his wings hiked.

"I understand you two would have tried to stop the fight. I thank you for your efforts." Is all he says as he walks back out the door. Jazz and Hotshot look at each other in confusion. Had Starscream really just thanked them?

Walking out after him I see him pacing just outside of the light from the building. Drawing closer I could see trails of energon coming from his optics. He catches sight of my and turns his back. "I'm doing my best not to overreact."

"And you're doing a good job." I add.

"I know it might not seem like it but personally, right now, I want to blow Iacon off the face of Cybertron."

"She means that much to you?"

"She's my best friend. I hold her in higher esteem then I hold my own trine. Want to know a secret? If not for her then Megatron would still be alive. She acted as decoy so I could strike from behind. I knew I could only pull it off with one blow and she distracted him long enough so I could line up the perfect shot which blew off his head."

Carefully I reach out a servo to touch his shoulder plate. Instead of jerking away like I expected he just collapsed to the ground, knees drawn up to his helm. Cautiously I sit down next to him and draw him in for a hug. Shock registers through my processor as he willing hugs me back.

-Three Orns Later-

Starscream sits sideways in on of the chairs, optics distant. We were in my office, sitting in complete silence. Both of us had finished the day's work, him assisting me since he didn't really have all that much to work on. My comm. link jumps to life and Starscream looks up expectantly. He had started to stick close to me seeing as he didn't have the frequency to Ratchet and Ratchet wouldn't give him it.

"Prime? Tell your seeker friend his apprentice just woke up."

As I turn towards Starscream I give him a thumbs up and he scrambles from the chair. I follow after him as he heads to med bay at a fast pace. As we enter the door I see Ratchet at the main desk, checking data files. "Room 92." He supplies without looking up. Starscream regains his composure and starts looking for the designated door.

As the door slides up I spot the little seeker tilted forward to avoid damage to her repairing wings. She twisted and tore gently at something in her servos, bright lines of diluted energon streaking her face. Choking sobs racked her hastily repaired frame.

A glance at Starscream told me he was becoming distressed. I expect him to launch into the room but instead he walks in calmly and sits in the chair next to the berth. "I'm sorry boss bot." Skyseam chokes out, her voice now acquiring a scratch to it. "Please say you didn't tell Soundwave. He'll take it out on you and it's not your fault. Explanation: I said I was designated as Decepticon. Explanation: All my fault, I deserve to be punished." Starscream places his servos on top of hers and keens to her quietly.

"If anyone is to be punished it's those trine mates of yours." He finally says. This seems to put the femme in more distress.

"Pleading: You can't do that, it's my fault as well. I should have lead better. Reasoning; I'm their leader, give me their punishment."

"What use is being leader if they don't follow your orders? And they deserve the punishment for breaking one of the oldest seeker rules; never abandon one of your trine in enemy territory."

"Distressed: Are we enemies? All I see is the good on both sides!"

"And now you're blind to the Autobots that nearly killed you?" Starscream was keeping his voice surprisingly calm as Skyseam seemed to become just a bit louder.

"Desperate Explanation: They are good too. They are just angry for the bad they have seen. If I were to meet them tomorrow I would still offer them my servo in friendship." Starscream places a digit on her lip plates to hush her and stands up, pulling her gently forward for a hug.

"You'll be a great leader someday. I could never be disappointed in you." He lightly strokes her helm and she calms down, air filtering through her systems rapidly. "I'll tell you what, I'll send someone by later with some projects to entertain yourself. Would you like that?" She nods her helm, the scene reminding me of a creator comforting a sparkling and promising something enjoyable.

I lean in the doorway and wait for Starscream to exit before I do. As we walk down the hall he says nothing and keeps his optics straight ahead. Upon turning the corner we come face to face with Thundercracker and his charge, a white, black, and light blue seeker. Without a warning Starscream whips out a servo and grasps the younger seeker by the neck cables, slamming him into the wall.

Too shocked to react I just stand there and watch the scene unfold. "You make me sick Freefall. If I had my way I'd be doing to you what they did to Skyseam. I'd revel and laugh as I ripped your wings from your back and smashed in your cockpit." Starscream's voice was a dangerous hiss rather then his full screech and it only made him more menacing. "You sure as the Pit better thank Primus that your leader told me you should go unpunished for your insubordination." Abruptly he drops Freefall and starts walking, his thrusters giving him extra speed.

As I prepare to head after him Thundercracker grabs my arm. "Forgive him for his actions. If the same had happened with Freefall then I would react in much the same way as would any bot." It was whispered, meant for our audios only. He let's me go and I resume walking but losing my hurried pace.

Immersed in my thoughts I pass by the other two seekers. The smaller orange and grey one had a bent wing tip and Skywarp was fuming. Apparently Starscream had gotten to them as well.

I head back to my office to find the lobby empty. Bluestreak must have headed home. I'd just grab a few things before setting off as well. But as my door slides open I find an unexpected surprise. 


	5. Chapter 5

Ch 5: Let Me Tell You a Secret

-Starscream's POV-

I had heard the door open, had heard the ped steps of someone entering the room. A gentle servo rested on my shoulder plate and I feel myself tighten further into a ball. "I got out of hand. Forgive me but I know no other way of keeping order." I find myself saying.

"I understand. I might not like how you handled the situation but I'm glad it didn't end up with you actually scrapping those two for what they did. It's obvious you think of Skyseam as someone more than just a friend." Optimus says, coming around to my front.

"I do think of her as more. She's like the creation I'll never have."

"Who's to say that you won't have creations like her?"

"It doesn't need to be said. No sensible bot would have me knowing my past, on either side. No one likes to know that they're with someone who used to be Megatron's interface toy." The words tasted poisonous in my mouth and it burned my glossa to say it.

"I know plenty of bots who aren't very sensible." Finally pulling my helm up I catch Optimus' optics. "They just have to overlook the past and see you for who you really are. I believe it was Megatron who twisted you to make you as you were during the war. Now that he's gone I've started to see there's more to you then meets the eye."

I couldn't help it, I snorted a laugh. Primus, that had to be one of the oldest lines in the sayings codex. He smiles back at me and offers me a servo up. Clambering down out of my chair I follow him out, mentally picking what projects to send to Seam.

"So tell me, what was that whole thing with stating the emotion and what not before her sentence. Skyseam I mean." He asks as we walk along one of the paths in the setting light of the sun.

"Personality quirk she got from Soundwave. Does it whenever her emotions go through the roof." We drop into comfortable silence and stop to watch the rest of the sunset.

-Skyseam's POV-

After Starscream had left I had finally stopped abusing the polishing cloth in my hand. Bringing it to my face I take an inhale to remind me of Backfire's scent. I missed my creators so much but there was no way I was going to get Starscream in trouble. Sighing I feel my current charge start to slowly drop. I'd be in recharge in a couple more joors.

Sighing I wish not for the first time I could lie down on my back or front. The door opens once more and before I can turn to see who it was my audios announced it for me. "Primus Seam, oh Primus." Turning I find Freefall running for the edge of my berth. His servos reached for me and I give him a smile to put him at ease. Ever so gently he ran his digits over sections of my damaged frame. "Starscream is right, I should be punished."

"At least you got away from him without getting damaged." Comes the annoyed voice of Cloudstrutter. The orange and grey seeker walks into the room nursing a slightly bent wing tip. As he neared Fall spun around and slammed a servo into Strut's face.

"Idiot, we could have stopped this from even happening. We're horrible trine mates. She's our leader and we left her alone, she could be dead right now." So much for being the Tape Deck Seeker.

Strut pulls free of Fall's headlock and hisses. "Yeah, I got that point when I had Screamer spitting it in my face." Grabbing a nearby empty cube I heave it, hitting Strut right in the helm.

"Don't speak such disrespect for an ambassador of Vos and the former leader and air commander of the Decepticons. I'll not have it in my trine." There was a great chance that they wouldn't listen to me and it didn't help that Starscream's own trine slandered him. If I called on him as a friend I'd only call him Star for short. Screamer was a disgusting title that hinted at what Megatron used him for. I didn't even realize I was shaking by now, fresh diluted energon bubbling up from the orifices below my optics.

My trine mates both look at me then bow their heads. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Strut says as he fidgets with his servos.

"We didn't realize you liked him so much. And we're also sorry for leaving you as we did." Fall adds.

"It's alright; I'm not a very good leader anyway."

"That's where you're wrong." It was Thundercracker's voice and he stepped into the room as well, Skywarp just behind. "Vos command wouldn't have made you a leader of a trine if you weren't good enough, no matter what your creators may or may not say."

"You still aren't anywhere near as good a leader as Starscream though." Skywarp says, taking a step closer. He grabs hold of Fall as Thundercracker grabs hold of Strut. "But you need to rest right now. Come on; let's see if we can't catch you up on Seam's flying tricks. And you'd do well to practice some warping Strut."

Shaking my helm I run a calculation. It would take them a vorn at least to catch up and perform all the techniques Starscream had taught me already. Rubbing my neck cables I wonder if there was someway to get my vocals repaired. Probably not since Starscream suffered the same thing and his never worked quiet properly. At least I knew my attacker wasn't my own comrade.

"Knock, knock! Ah, you're still up, good." Glancing up once more I see Hotshot and Jazz leaning in. They both squeeze in at the same time but it was Jazz who managed to snag the chair. Hotshot glowers at him and hand me something from his subspace.

They were unlike anything I had ever seen, green and bright red and so small it would have taken great care to not crush them. "What are they?" I ask in utter amazement, bringing my servos close to my optics.

"Roses, a flower that grows on Earth. OP said you were a bit of a scientist like Starscream. I'm sure a pretty femme like you wouldn't be interested in minerals and rocks though. But if you are I can get you some of those." Hotshot supplies. Zooming in with my optics I memorize all the curves of the flowers. Maybe I could make something like it with scraps of thin metal plates and try some chemicals to make it somewhat like it.

"Thank you." I say quietly. "Readings tell me they'll die over time though."

"Yeah, organic stuff is real fragile." Jazz adds, finally speaking up. "So how you holding up Seam?"

"It's alright. I haven't had worse but I watched and read enough files to see worse." The two Autobots exchange looks of confusion.

"That's some of the worse damage I've ever seen. What could be worse that you could still live through?" My processors tell me this was a request to give up what I had seen and read in all the data files I'd found. All the worse ones had been on the Nemesis back when Megatron was alive and I had been looking up everything I could on the air commander I had respected so much. "Seam?" I was prompted.

Biting my lower lip component I put the flowers to the side and start to fidget with the polishing cloth again. "You have to swear on pain of ripping out your own sparks that you will convey the information to no one. Ever. I went to great lengths deleting it all from the Nemesis databanks and nearly got scrapped for it myself." Both mechs go quiet before Hotshot leaves. The door shuts firmly behind him and Jazz leans forward.

"I promise." Letting out a sigh I pull out a data file from my subspace. Holding it out I catch his optics before letting go. Sitting back in the chair he selects one of the video files. He'd have to pick one of the worst no doubt. 


	6. Chapter 6

Ch 6: High Grade and Good Company

It was my least favorite which was saying something because I hated each file. As I listen once more to the screams of the air commander I idolized I reach for my audios. I never wanted to hear this again as long as I processed code.

Half way through the file Jazz shuts off the data file and hands it back, glossa pushing at the inside of a cheek plate. He remains silent as I hold the data file. "I had no clue. Starscream's a tough mech, more than a match for Megatron. Why didn't he fight back?"

"He used himself as an example. To say that what the Decepticons had first stood for was mist on a hot day and that they had become Megatron's puppets. They never saw what he meant." As I spoke I could feel myself slip into recharge. The last thing I said as I put away the data file was "You can never let Starscream know I showed you."

-Optimus' POV-

-Next Orn-

Starscream and I were currently sitting in his office. We had finished the day's work and he explained a few of his projects to me while I entertained him with some stories of the antics my Autobots would get themselves into. He even told me about some of the pranks his trine had pulled, sometimes getting the other Decepticons to go along with it.

"There was actually this one time where we convinced several of the Cons to speak in backwards sentences to tick off Megatron. First we convinced the cone heads then they got to Hook and a few of the constructicons who in turn dragged the casseticons and by affiliation Soundwave into the prank. Megs thought his audios were hearing thing backwards for four orns straight!" We both fall into easy laughter as Starscream explains one of their best pranks.

As the laughter dies away Starscream's smile fades and his optics dim. "Of course Megatron took it out on me." Before I can ask what he meant he reaches under his desk and pulls out a cube of energon. "Would you happen to be interested in some Vos quality Nose Dive?"

"I suppose I could go with a glass. So what is it?" I ask as he pours two glasses.

"I guess you could call it High Grade of a sort. It's named for the seeker who concocted it." He slides my glass over and takes a sip of his. "Word to the wise, don't drink it fast." As I take a sip I realize why. It burned like the Pit and set my cables sparking. After the taste past however I felt my systems rise to a hundred and five percent.

"This is amazing! What's in it?" Maybe Wheeljack would like to try a servo at making it.

"I would not know. At least I don't have to warn you about how you shouldn't fly after consuming. Just like the name, you'll take a nose dive after more than one glass." A knock on the door makes us both look over.

"Come in!" Starscream calls, tipping backwards to lift a ped into the air. He'd drunk half a glass already. The door slides up to reveal Jazz who was wearing an indignant pout.

"You guys broke out drinks and didn't invite me?" He asks.

"Excuse me then princess. Pull up a seat and I'll pour you a glass." To emphasis his words he swirls the Nose Dive. Jazz gives him a wry smile and he drops into a chair, accepting a glass.

"What sort of high grade is this?" He says after a sip. He goes to gulp it but Starscream launches himself across the desk to halt him.

"It's Vos Nose Dive. Highly advised you don't gulp or you'll have scorched insides for a few decacycles." As Jazz nods Starscream slide back and sits back down. "So, what brings you into my offices?" Starscream asks.

"Just getting to know the new arrivals. If they're anything like little Seam then they're worth getting to know." He supplies. I just lean back and watch the exchange.

"Then you'll be disappointed. Thundercracker is a cautious one and doesn't take too well to newcomers. Skywarp is a pipe in the exhaust most days. Freefall is like TC but snaps a bit quicker. Cloudstrutter has the same abilities as Warp which is why their trine is with ours but he's vain and lazy. I have a horrible temper and scare off most bots, even from my own faction. Skyseam is the friendliest seeker I know but she had quirks in her system like when her emotions peak she starts speaking like Waves and she has way too much energy for even a seeker. She's outflown me plenty of times, distance wise. I can't still whip her with speed." Surprised at how talkative Starscream was I wonder what would happen if I asked a personal question or two.

"So, any of you seekers looking for relationships in Iacon?" I ask casually. Jazz gives me the slightest glance but stays focused on Starscream.

"Oh not TC and Warp. They've already spark bonded to each other. I'm not worried though, they're both older then me. Strut is only interested in exotic bots. In a long distance relationship with a triple changer if I'm correct. Freefall I'm not too sure about but he might... Nah. And Skyseam is daddy's little sparklet. She won't go for a steady relationship unless old Waves approves." Jazz chuckles.

"Looks like Tracks was a bit right. Hotshot is aiming for something out of his league." He says after he finishes laughing. By now Starscream's glass was empty but he made no moves to pour more for himself. "What about you Star?"

"Me? Well, there is this one mech. But already that's saying too much." Starscream teased. He cracks a wry smile at the desk while spinning the glass on his index digit.

"What kind of drunks are TC and Warp anyway?" Jazz asks, leaning forward.

"Those two? Well TC drops the serious act and goes a bit nuts and bolts. One time he danced for the entire Decepticon army on a table while highly intoxicated. Warp becomes slightly serious and becomes terribly clingy. He's like, ugh what were those organic creatures on earth again? Monkeys, that it. I remember this one time he latched onto TC's back and refused to climb off. But as with all seekers we have to be careful with just how overenergized we get. We break the limit and soon we start making advances on any bot close enough to us for a quick interface or five. Depends on how much of the energon we need to burn off." He rolls his helm on the table.

"The funniest drunk I've ever seen though has got to be Megs. Liked to sing when he broke his limits. All cheery songs too."

Jazz and I chuckle at this mental image. Just as Jazz opens his mouth to ask another question Starscream abruptly offlines into recharge mode. I suppose if he had been flying he would have indeed been taking a nose dive. Getting to my peds I lift Starscream from his seat. Jazz lends a servo in lifting him on my back. I stumble around due to his near weightlessness then right myself. I knew how to hold my energon. Jazz locks the place down behind us and follows at a slightly ambling pace.

"So, you've been spending a bit of time with Screamer here?" He asks as we walk along the path leading to the designated guest house.

"Starscream, and yes, I have. You know, he's far more likeable than I first thought." Jazz looks aghast. "He's more compatable to me than you think. We share a lot of the same interests actually. But I won't try anything unless this mech he likes turns out to not like him back."

Jazz shrugs. "More power to you. I can't really say anything seeing as how I picked Mirage. You know what they say about us." Not long after we drop into silence we come to a stop in front of the guest house. After a few knocks the door slides open to reveal Skywarp.

"I see Star overenergized himself a bit. Thanks for lugging his sorry aft back." He remarks as he let's us in. We move down a hall and get directions to the last door. Jazz opened it and I drop Starscream into the berth. Not surprisingly most of the room was occupied with science projects and Jazz begins to look around. "Can I get you mechs anything?" Skywarp calls from down the hall. We exit quietly and head down the hall.

"I'm fine." Jazz and I respond at the same time and Skywarp cocks an optic ridge at us.

"You two spark bonded or something?"

"I'm not, he is." I say, pointing to Jazz. Skywarp shrugs and moves off further into the house. A resounding crack fills my audios and a moment later I see the little orange and grey seeker, Cloudstrutter, fall onto the floor. He gets up slowly and checks his frame before letting out a whoop.

"Finally managed to go through a wall without taking off some of my parts." He says as he breaks out a polishing cloth before dropping to the floor and setting to work. His optics flick up to watch us as he labors away but doesn't really say anything to us.

We start to head towards the door when the white seeker runs around a corner and runs face first into Jazz. He lands on his aft with an umph and glares upwards. The glare quickly disappears.

"Ah, I know you two. Uh, permission to ask something?" Jazz and I share a look before I give Freefall a nod. "When do you think Seam can get out of med bay?"

I really didn't have an answer for it so I tell him to ask Ratchet. The little seeker frowns but gives a noncommittal nod and we head for the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch 7: Some Things Happen (You can't expect me to come up with a good title all the time)

As we make it out the door we run into the last seeker, Thundercracker. Jazz immediately breaks into a fit of the giggles, probably thinking about what Starscream said about his blue brother. Thundercracker gives him a steady glare.

"I must have missed the joke, care to clue me in?" Jazz just shakes his helm and steps aside.

"Nope, no joke. Just a little overenergized."

TC grunts and continues on his way. As the door shuts Jazz sways his hips and raises his servos into the air. "You're shameless." I tell him as I head out for home.

"Yup." Is the cheerful reply.

-Starscream's POV-

The first thing I notice when I came online was the major processor ache that only came with being overenergized. Rolling over in a dazed state I make sure I position my wings directly backwards. Next time I'd only pour half a glass full of Nose Dive. Sitting up I realize that it was already next orn meaning I slept most of yesterday. Fetching some of my overenergized cure from under my berth I throw it back and felt it take care of my processor ache almost immediately.

Figuring no matter how good Optimus or Jazz might have felt when intoxicated they probably were hit just a bit worse seeing as Nose Dive wrecked ground mechs worse then seekers, or fliers for that matter. Reaching under my berth once more I bring out two more and put the small containers in my subspace.

Realizing it was still early I steal out of my room silently. I make it out of the house without waking anyone and start making my way to my offices, watching the mist swirl around my peds as I walked. The walk was peaceful and I took the moment to enjoy the silent morning. Normally I would cross paths with several other mechs on my way to my office but I came across none at this joor. This meant no I'll disguised glares for me.

Sliding my door open I find Jazz curled up in the chair he had occupied last orn, clutching his helm. "Please say you have something to get me over this processor ache. Ratchet refuses to give me anything."

Smiling I pull one of my concoctions from my subspace and hand it to him. He looks at it for awhile before drinking it, perhaps wondering if it was a trick. "Optimus stay home to nurse his processor ache?" I ask, falling onto my low backed chair.

"Him? No way, he's a work-a-holic. Should be at his office in about another joor. Remind me the next time I drink with you I bring my own stuff."

"Noted." We lapse into comfortable silence before my door slides open.

"I didn't want to knock since you bots might be subjected to the same pain as me right now. Sorry if your offended that I didn't knock." Optimus says, looking in. I wave him to get in here and I hand him the last antidote which he looks at curiously.

"What is it?"

"Something that will get rid of your processor ache." I tell him and he drinks it without any further questions.

"Thanks. But the real reason I came over here was to tell you Seam is ready to be let out. Freefall wanted to know so I checked in for him." Freefall huh? Maybe my hunch was right. If so then Fall was going to fall right on his face if he kept trying to court her the way he did.

Surprisingly Jazz was the first one out of the room, saying he had business elsewhere, leaving Optimus and I to walk in each others company. "Any work today?" I ask after a long stretch of silence.

"Not really. Actually I've been going over health problems among the Earth veteran Decepticons. Is it true you guys were near starvation?"

"Of course. It's why none of Earth's Decepticons struck back at me after Megatron's defeat. He pushed us on lower rations continually. Even now I can only consume two cubes to the point of where I can't take anymore and that's on a good orn."

"TWO cubes? Usually it takes me four to get through half an orn. They shouldn't even have you working." Optimus complains. I give him a smile.

"I've done more taxing work on those low levels of energon than paperwork. Granted I would be okay with more if I had been greedy with my energon shares and not distributed some to my trine. But being trine leader means I must make sacrifices, even ones I feel repulsed in doing, to keep those in my charge safe. Currently TC can work on four cubes and Warp can work with six but it's necessary because the warping ability."

"Well, you can only improve now that we can harvest more energon."

"True. Well someone's eager to get outside." I remark as I see Skyseam run from the med bay doors. Alarm hits my sensors as she brings up her null rays, steam rising as she activates them. "Skyseam no!" I shout. She shakes her helm but doesn't look at me.

Growling I launch forward and grab hold of her arms, trying to gently force them down. She only pushed against me harder as Ratchet came out of the med bay doors. "What's going on?" Optimus asks the medic. The null rays were rapidly heating up and if I didn't deflect her soon Ratchet would be shot at. Skyseam's null rays not only left you helpless but also gave you an excruciating processor ache.

"Calm down and tell me what's wrong!" She shook her helm and thrashed, refusing to answer me.

I get my answer from Ratchet. "All I said was that I notified her creator that she's been let out." Ratchet growls. Just then the null rays fire. I had to risk injury to my wings by throwing us backwards so the null rays shot into the sky instead. I could only hope someone wasn't flying overhead right now.

"Stand down Skyseam!" I order but she still struggles.

"No! He told Soundwave!" I knew what that meant. Basically I would get a servo to my face from Waves but I had to say I deserved it. She was my charge and I was respo0nsible for her.

"It's okay Skyseam. I can fend for myself." She finally stops, taking a large inhale.

As she relaxes I roll her off me gently. That's about the time I hear the words "Incoming!" Struggling to get up and out of the way I hear a crunch behind me followed by a yank back.


	8. Chapter 8

Ch 8: A Date and Some Paint Trading

"Unauthorized Decepticon, stand down!" As I'm spun downward and hit the ground I catch a flash of black base paint with red orange details. As Backfire prepared to fire his null ray into my chest plate Hotshot tackles him to the ground. Had Jazz gone to fetch him?

"Stand down!" He yells in Backfire's face. Not a good idea since yelling at a seeker was basically a challenge. Luckily the other Autobots had rushed to Hotshot's aid and had a plethora of weapons pointed at Backfire's helm.

"Backfire wait!" Skyseam calls out. Helping her up I do a quick scan with my optics. She was going to be fine. "It's my fault. Please do as they ask." Immediately Backfire goes limp, optics still glaring.

"I understand the need to see your creation but rules are rules and it is necessary for you to go through customs before such visits." Optimus explains. I catch his look and pick up Skyseam and throw her over my back like a sack of bolts.

"Come on, let's cart you home." Surprisingly she doesn't rebel and demand to be let down. She must be extremely worn out. The sound of decelerating thrusters behind me tell me of my trine mates descent.

"Don't tell me you did something stupid." It was Freefall's voice. "Figures you would since you're not a full seeker and all. Foolish Tape Deck." Rolling my optics I approach the door to our lodgings. Really, that kid needed some dating advice or something.

After I drop Seam off in her room I go to find TC. Fall was his responsibility. Hearing the closing of his door I figure he must have been in there. "Hey TC I was wondering if-" I stop speaking as I open the door to find my trine mates hooking themselves up to one another. "- Excuse me, gonna leave now!" I shut the door as quickly as I could behind me and bolt, making a mad dash for the front door. Once outside I lean against the door and shake my helm. I was over reacting. So it was the first time walking in on someone who was doing it. No big deal.

"Everything alright Starscream?" Immediately I fling out my servos and wave them.

"Nope, everything is fine!" I reply as Optimus stands there with his arms crossed. Oh Primus, now my face was starting to heat up, making my charcoal faceplates glow with a bit of energon.

"You sure, you look a little purple."

"Do not!" I scream at him, pointing an index digit. He throws his hands up in defense.

"Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. I'm just here to drag you back to work considering you have a bit of filing to do concerning an upcoming meeting." As he speaks I feel the heat in my face go down and I pull myself off the door. We walk in silence for a few steps before Optimus speaks up again. "I was wondering, after we're done with work would you care to grab some cubes with me."

"You mean just us?" Maybe I asked it like it was accusatory because he seemed to freeze up. "Not that I mind."

"Yeah, because it's not like a date of anything."

"No, of course not. That's just preposterous." We both shut our mouths and stare straight ahead. "But just so you know I'd like to, you know, as acquaintance-friend thing arrangement. Okay, bye." I say as I get to my office and lock the door behind me. Primus, I had to get better at talking when I was nervous.

-Skyseam's POV-

My optics flicker on and I check my internal cycle tracker. Freefall was right, I did something stupid but I'd never blame it on Soundwave's heritage running through my circuits. I'd been down for, what, two extra solar cycles? Getting up I open my door and peek outside. No one was in the hall so I decide to sneak down the hall to get myself some much needed energon. Once I get to the main sitting room I notice Freefall taking a stasis nap on the couch.

He had passed out leaving a polishing cloth on half of his face. Sneaking over I carefully pull it off and go to drop it on the table when he turns and locks his arms around my frame. Dragging me backwards he pulls me onto the couch with him and I stifle a cry, shifting my wings so I didn't roll on them. I really didn't want to wake him up but since he was stronger it'd be impossible to pull free without trading paint with resounding screeches.

"Fall!" I whisper, a little afraid of what would happen if I did wake him up. He was not a morning bot. "Freefall, let go!" I whisper again.

He only pulls me closer a small scratching sound coming from our chassises. Now I would have white paint on me. "Why would I want to do that?" He mumbles. Rolling my eyes I try shifting myself. "No, please don't go, I want you to like me." He mutters again.

"Did you crack your helm? Of course I like you, you're my trine mate." A moment later he sighs contentedly on my helm. By now I had had enough. "Freefall!" I scream, my damaged voice box making it louder than it normally would have been. His optics online quickly and he tosses me off.

"What do you think you're doing?" He demands, standing up and looking at his frame which had sections of black rubbed onto it.

"Oh, what I was doing? I was just pulling a polishing cloth you forgot to take off your stupid helm. You, on the other servo, decided it was okay to pull me in and start trading paint by crushing my frame to yours." He looks sheepishly at the ground and I toss him the cloth I was still holding. He says something behind me but I don't pay any attention. Right now I was in bad need of some non-aged energon.

Grabbing myself a cube I toss it back and gulp down the contents, feeling somewhat refreshed. Heading back into the main sitting room I find it empty. Turning on my energy scanner I fail to find any signatures in the house. Shrugging I head to one of the wash rack rooms, intending to scrub off Fall's paint. After a few clicks of scrubbing I realized it wasn't going to come off and I'd just have to paint over it. I could do with a full body paint job anyway considering I had scrapes all over my frame.

Trying to locate any comm. links I had in my contacts info I'm not too surprised when the only one I could activate was Jazz's. "Hey Jazz, you there?" I call out.

"Sure am! What can I do ya for?" He replies. I could almost hear the wink he would have given.

"Can you point me to the nearest paint bots? I look like slag. Also, it's preferred if they aren't hostile." The link goes quiet except for the sound of filtering air.

"Sure, but just to be on the safe side I think I should tag along." I consider it. I did enjoy his company and I would need some protection for the moment.

"Only if you aren't busy with work."

"Me, busy? Never." Smiling to myself I head for the front door and go outside to wait.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N Just so you guys know Blacklight, my paintbot, OC has a jersey accent.

Ch 9: A New Paint Job

I didn't have to wait long. As I watch Jazz walk closer I notice he seemed to be talking to the air.

He gives me a smile as I come over. "Who you talking to?"

"Just Mirage. See? She isn't the least bit hostile." He adds, turning to the air next to him. The next moment the air shimmers and shifts to reveal a white and blue mech who was indeed staring at me distrustfully. "Well, no use in us just standing around, let's go!" He starts walking away and the blue mech, Mirage, sighs although he did it with a smile. As we walk Jazz introduces us.

"Skyseam, meet my bond mate Mirage. Mirage, meet that scrappy little seeker femme, that one I've been telling you about, Skyseam." Mirage offers me a servo which I shake, giving him a wide smile.

"A lucky mech I'd say." I tell him with a wink.

"Alright, one Jazz I can handle. Don't go making it two." Mirage replies. I chuckle while Jazz full on laughs. "So Skyseam, do you naturally sound screechy?"

"No, its just some voice box damage. Is it that bad? Maybe I don't realize how bad it sounds since I'm working with Starscream all the time. Until recently that is." Just then Jazz halts outside a small building and spread his servos wide. We were still in the palace district so I knew I wouldn't come to any harm.

"Welcome to the best paint shop in Iacon. From repaints to decals, you name it, these bots can do it." Without another word Jazz grabs me and drags me in.

The first thing I heard on entering was dead silence. Looking up I find all the bots staring at me openly and I wish the floor would open up and drag me down. "Dear Primus, what am I looking at?" One of the bots ask, coming over. His paint job was beautiful. His base was blue but when you turned your helm in the slightest it shifted to purple. He also had silver and gold streaks running in intricate designs all over his frame.

"Hello Skyline, Blacklight here?" Streaks waves a servo, still looking at me.

"Yeah but I hope she has the credit. You know he charges the most." I felt my spark sink. I didn't want to spend too much credits on just paint. What would I do about funding for my science projects?

"Don't worry about the creds. owes me a favor or two." He drags me to the back to a black door. He coughs then begins to bang on the door till it shuddered.

"Hey, hey, hey! I like my door where it is and in the condition it's in. Primus Jazz, a normal knock would do..." The mech who had answered the door draws off as he spies me. His paint was a dark purple that swirled black as the lights caught it. Glowing purple-blue lines crisscrossed over his frame. But what really caught my attention were the glowing red optics boring into mine. "Don't say anything!" He says, putting a servo up to Jazz's face. Grasping me firmly he drags me into the room and stands me up in a rotatable painting system.

"Primus you must feel ashamed. So tell me seeker, you originally from Vos?" He asks, pouring paint into one of the sections on the machine.

"Yes, you ever been?" I find myself asking. He places a covering on my face.

"Grew up there, before the war that is. Hold still birdie, don't want to waste any of this paint." He starts up the machine and I feel the paint begin to spray my frame. Eventually the machine stops and the face covering is pulled off. "Don't worry about paying birdie, even though I'm a ground mech I'm still native to Vos, deep down in my crooked spark. Anything for a fellow sky sister." I smirk at the Vos slang which earns me a smile in return. As the paint dries he swirls a silvery paint around before dumping it into a paint gun.

"So, who are your creators? Anyone I might know?"

"Soundwave and Backfire." Mirage finally speaks up. Blacklight freezes and turns to face Jazz.

"You mean THE Soundwave?" Jazz nods and Blacklight whistles.

"So, how are you a Decepticon and still living in Iacon? All Decepticons occupying the area were pulled out." Blacklight turns back to me and shrugs before pulling my arm out to spray my joints.

"I'm one of the best paint bots on Cybertron. They let me stay at this fancy shop if I paint them up for their special events." He sprays my midriff then the stripe on my wings. "So, what are you, creation of the Decepticon leader, doing in Iacon where you could be slagged at any given moment?"

"That's what we're here for." Jazz puts in.

"You two playing honor guard? Nah, no way. The only way you'd be playing a guard is if Optimus ordered it or you really like her. Optimus wouldn't have ordered it unless he was looking for a mate."

"Optimus isn't like that and he's not looking for one in Seam. He's more interested in her teacher."

"No way? Because Starscream totally-" I clamp my mouth shut, horrified at what I just revealed.

"So that's the ambassador for Vos eh? Wondered why he turned down leadership. Primus I would LOVE to do paintwork on him." Blacklight says, unfazed by what I had just said. He was now on my peds.

"Okay, I'll admit, he's attractive. Real attractive." Jazz adds and Mirage deals him a mean elbow to his side. "But I don't see why'd you like to paint him."

"Don't see why? Air commander Starscream, second in command, fastest seeker Cybertron has ever seen, tactical god, scientific genius. He's a legend among lower Decepticons. His story on his rise to power in the ranks inspired many of the lower forces." Blacklight spins the paint gun on a digit as he speaks. When he finishes talking he places the gun on a table and reaches into his subspace, pulling out a can of red paint.

"What's the red for?" I ask, watching him open it. The paint glowed faintly.

"Starscream's main color. You're his apprentice, only appropriate you wear his colors. Of course the paint has a bit of energon in it so it glows but don't tell anyone, trade secret."

He paints a line above my wing stripes and adds a half line under then paints the end edging. He tilts my helm up and paints little sections on it. Turning me around I feel his painting tool move swiftly over the part where my wings joined.

"It looks like the Decepticon symbol but what's all the added stuff below it?" Mirage asks.

"It stands for the Decepticon Air Command. It was a symbol Starscream came up with but when Megatron saw he ordered the design to be removed. Good thing my processor remembers just how it looks. And I say you're about done, dry too so don't worry about messing it up. Unless you get in a fight." As I step down into the darker lighting Jazz let's out a whistle.

"You're right, the red does glow. Loving the effect on the base paint too. Looks black in high lighting but lower the lights and it turns almost cobalt."

"Oh that part isn't mine. Her spark takes care of that. Now shove off, I actually have paint designs to work on for the one of the council members. Some event is coming up or something." We do as Blacklight says and leave. I couldn't help but notice that newer bots who had entered the shop were all looking at me. Quite a few gave whistles. 


	10. Chapter 10

A/N OMIGOSHNESS we move a little bit along the plot.

Ch 10: Decisions, Decisions

Smiling, I walk out the door first. I quickly ran into a road block though. "Home, now." Starscream growls. Rolling my optics I do as I'm told but as I'm walking away I hear "Thanks for doing this. She needed the paint. And tell your painter he does amazing work." Oh Blacklight would LOVE to hear that.

He falls in step next to me. "You know, you don't have to suffer with me and walk." I tell him.

"I like walking. Flying isn't everything you know."

Rather than pretend to be surprised I just smile. "Oh, interesting tidbit for you sir, Optimus is so crashing for you." More seeker slang meaning the bot in question would do anything, including crash into the ground, to impress the bot they desired.

"Jazz?"

"Jazz."

"Anyway, I'm glad you decided to get painted today. Soundwave just cleared customs as well as Backfire. Being the verified bond mate of Decepticon leader does have it's perks." Starscream sighs and I look closely at his frame. He didn't seem damaged. "Don't explode, they brought Threeway with them."

My plates crawl with revulsion. If there was any bot I couldn't stand it was that pompous low tier triple changer. "Please say that sorry excuse for spare parts isn't staying. I know Strut cares about him but seriously, Strut could do way better than what he's got." Starscream pats my helm and glances around.

"Tell you what, if we keep it our little secret I'll let you abuse your thrusters to fly a bit off the ground." He says with a grin. Immediately I feel better.

Just as I start to lift off the ground I cut my thrusters again. "I don't want you to get in more trouble. Besides, my Decacycle will be up soon. I can wait." He stops abruptly and begins glancing around frantically.

"Hold on, I think Cybertron just stopped it's rotation! Time will start collapsing on itself, half the planet will freeze over, the fourth wall will vanish! My audios deceive me, Skyseam just said the words 'I can wait' in that order."

"Way to be over the top boss bot." I say, shaking my helm. "Flying isn't everything." Turning the corner backwards I stick out my glosa at him and run right into someone.

"Watch where you're going you stupid glitch." Without turning around I immediately knew it was Threeway.

"Threeway, still jealous I see?" I say with a small smirk. Turning I look up at the purple and green triple changer. "And your colors are still clashing." I ducked as the servo flew at me and launch a well aimed ped into his midriff. He grabs my leg and prepares to swing me right into the ground when a null ray straight from my guns hits him right in that stupid helm of his.

He drops me, entering a frozen like state, and I flip backwards and ignite my thrusters, skimming over the ground in a fluid motion before cutting their flow. "Come to think of it, I'm surprised you aren't trying to suck off Strut's face components. Oh wait, are you still cheating on him?"

He comes out of his frozen state and chartges. I dart to the side and ram my place m ped on his back as he passes, giving him an extra push.

He gets up and runs at me again. Too bad he didn't know back up stood right behind me. Just as he came close to me I ignite my thrusters and spring over his head, doing a flip. As he turned he got talked by my favorite casseticons.

"Hey, don't forget you're permitted to be here because our boss said so!" Rumble shouts. Frenzy lands a hit to the triple changer's backside to get the point across. Picking up the casseticons I set them on my shoulder plates and start gliding on my thrusters which the twin casseticons enjoyed.

"Exasperated: Enough of that. Starscream: I am thankful you trained her so well. I understand the previous damage had to have occurred in an enclosed space. Confused: No greetings for me Skyseam?" Turning I see Soundwave standing next to Starscream. Setting down Frenzy and Rumble I cut my thrusters and run over.

"Elation: It is so good to see you Soundwave. Declaration: I missed you so much!" He encases me in a hug and I return it, squeezing as hard as I could.

-Optimus' POV-

"There's a human term for it, give me a moment. Ah, I believe the phrase is you look like the cat that ate the canary." I say as Jazz lounges in one of my chairs, wide smirk on his face. "Do I want to know?"

"Maybe, maybe not." He teases. Rolling my optics I decide to ignore him, he'd tell me soon enough. "Ah, come on. Fine, a little seeker told me that a certain seeker has optics set on you for all the good reasons. First seeker being Skyseam and second seeker, well, I'll leave it up to you."

Not knowing if he was playing with my processor I stare at him, waiting for him to shrink away. Since the grin got wider and he relaxed a bit more I could tell he wasn't making things up. "Are you one hundred percent sure that's what Skyseam told you."

"One hundred and fifteen. And she really didn't say it more like she accidentally let it slip."

I turn in my chair, thinking over the info when my communications screen comes to life.

"Optimus Prime are you currently busy on anything important?" One of the councilors asks, his face appearing on screen.

"Not really. Is there something you need?"

"Yes, you are needed in the blue council chamber."

Getting up I switch off the screen and head out the door. "Come on Jazz, clear out."

"Right behind you boss bot." He says before passing me to talk to Bluestreak. Since it was the blue council chamber then I knew I hadn't done anything wrong, they reserved that for either the red chamber or the yellow chamber.

Composing myself before the door I step through to see the council mechs, only four of them, as per the Decepticon terms, ranged around the half table. There were minor ones like Starscream who would be considered a councilor for Vos as well as an ambassador. "Optimus Prime reporting in."

"Ah, Optimus, take a seat." Ultra Magnus invites with a sweep of his hand. Sitting down I wait for them to get to their point. "We have gone over your report on one of the seeker apprentice's predicament. I understand the young femme is up and back into almost perfect condition?"

"Yes, have you crossed referenced my report with Ambassador Starscream's?" I ask.

"We have. And it has also come to my attention that all the attackers have been apprehended and will be dealt with as is seen fit. But this is not why I called you here. The attack on the young seeker might still provoke another war. At this point we will be slaughtered if this was to occur. Thankfully Soundwave has agreed to work to find a solution to this. Listen, it is not an option I would want but right at this moment I can think of no other. So I'm asking you, if it comes down to it, would you do a spark bond?"

I was way more than willing to tell him no, that it wasn't fair to me or to whoever they had planned as my would be partner, that someone else could have the duty but his optics were pleading and his servos gripped the desk. "Of course. Although I do hope another solution can be reached."

"Thank you. That is all." 


	11. Chapter 11

Ch 11:

-Two Orns Later-

Dragging my peds I start heading to the red council room. The council was to work on a solution to stopping anymore outbreaks of war and since it was my livelihood on the line I got to sit in on the council. "Soundwave you can't do this to me!" I hear Starscream's screech around the corner.

"Explanation: No one else is good enough."

"Not good enough? There are plenty of Decepticons to choose from, just point in a random direction. Why do you think I let you take over?"

"Explanation: As ironic as it is I trust you the most. Also, you are more charismatic than I."

Silence. "Fine, I'll be the second in command again, although I might regret it. We better hurry or we'll be late." The walk around the corner and Starscream walks right into me. "Oh, Optimus. Sorry did I scuff your paint?" He peers closely at my paint. Glancing over his head I catch Soundwave staring right at me, his visor and mask concealing his emotions.

"Nothing that can't be fixed later." I reply and continue walking. Starscream fell in step next to me, pulling out a polishing cloth and working on the sections of paint that had been scuffed on himself. "Are you sitting in on this meeting as well?" I ask. He looks up, still polishing.

"I have no choice. Just when I say I don't want leadership, leadership finds me." He sighs. As we exit the halls I see Backfire and Skyseam land. They appeared to be having an argument. They quiet down and fall in line with us, Skyseam at Starscream's elbow, Backfire behind us to loop arms with Soundwave.

Getting to the appropriate door I'm surprised to see Skyseam as well as Backfire enter and take seats at a half round table. The other half round table only had one other seat as the other council members were there already. Since there were only four seats at the other table I assumed the number had been planned for.

"Reasoning: Could we do this as quickly as possible? I have much to do." Soundwave asks. A casseticon pops out of his chest and unfolds on the desk, Razorbeak. "Explanation: Razorbeak will record this meeting for future reference."

"Very well. Unfortunately we could only come up with one solution. I would like to hear yours first." Soundwave leans back and lowers his helm. Backfire leans forward.

"Unfortunately we have not been able to come up with a solution. Well, there was one-"

"Interuption: That is out of the question!" Soundwave slams his servo onto the desk, disrupting Razorbeak who was carefully scooped up by Starscream. He strokes her tiny helm reassuringly and whispers something before perching her on top of one of his shoulder scoops.

"The only option we could come up with was a spark bond." Ultra Magnus says quickly before a fight broke out. "But for it to work we'd need someone influential. It has come to our understanding that Skyseam is quite popular amongst the Decepticons." Soundwave waves his servo.

"Demand: Choose someone else! She is not ready for something of this matter and she should choose who it is that gets her spark."

"Who would you pick?" Skyseam asks.

"Decided: I will choose no one. They will volunteer." Everyone goes silent before Skyseam places her servos on the table, probably preparing to volunteer. Gently Starscream places Razorbeak back on the table and stands up.

"I volunteer. Decepticon second in command is a more powerful position than the leader's creation." He didn't look up from the desk. Several clicks of silence passed before Skyseam slammed her servos onto the desk.

"Disbelieving: You can't do this!" She shouts, her voice scratching and breaking due to her voice box.

"It is my duty." He replies.

"Demand: You can't do this! I would give everything for you, especially your happiness!" She walks over to the front of his desk section. "Pleading: Please let someone else volunteer."

Starscream finally looks up. "Skyseam there is no other way. It'll be okay, I promise." Her helm hangs and her wings droop.

I get up and walk around to Skyseam's position, aware that almost all eyes were on me. "Skyseam, it will be alright. I promise to treat him fairly." She looks up, optics distrustful before she gives me a weak smile.

"You better or I'll slag you ten ways to the next decacycle." She says. Looking up I catch Starscream's surprised optics. Razorbeak flies up to his helm and starts pecking him, breaking him out of shock.

"Then it is decided. All that's left to do is come up with a date. We can't hold it off for too long though." Ultra Magnus says, getting up. The rest of the council files out after him with Soundwave and Backfire following. Starscream places Razorbeak on the desk and Skyseam picks her up.

"Come on, you look like you need a repaint. I might not be as good as but I'm not bad at it." She says. This left Starscream and I alone.

"Did you volunteer or were you made to do it?" He asks after awhile, going back to averting his gaze. What if Jazz _had_ been wrong?

"Not really, it was decided before the meeting. But if it grants you any consolation I'm happy that it was you who volunteered." He looks back up.

"Why?" It was a cautious question.

"It showed you were willing to risk yourself for your apprentice. And there's no other bot I'd rather have." His cheek plates begin to glow from energon and he starts fiddling with his digits.

"It's funny."

"What is?"

"I like you more than I feel comfortable to say. I've never been this lucky." He adds with a small laugh.

"Then maybe it's time you deserved a bit of luck."

A/N You guys do realize I love reviews right?


	12. Chapter 12

Ch 12: Life's Not Fair

-Starscream's POV-

-Seven Orns Later-

"Alright, line up." I say as I watch my apprentice and her trine line up accordingly. At least they had started acting like a trine by now. I pull Jazz over. "Alright, some actual trine training. All three of you have to work together to find Jazz here who has willingly volunteered which he might regret. However, the seeker who actually catches him and drags him here gets a prize of some sort, you'll get to decide."

The apprentice trine glances at each other in confusion. They were really supposed to capture him as three and drag him back, each holding him. Hardly any starting trines got the idea of the exercise but they'd learn in time.

"Jazz will be protected by fellow Autobots HotShot and Bluestreak. Think of Jazz as a spy and he managed to get his servos on top secret technology such as the golden disk which holds the location of almost all known planets with masses of energon. A powerful weapon in the wrong servos. Jazz and his team do get a head start." I motion for Jazz too take off and his team transforms and peels out.

"Remember your training and bring him down but you aren't allowed to hurt him, thus why we removed your weapons. And… go!" Freefall and Cloudstrutter take to the air quickly but Skyseam keeps herself grounded with a bored expression. I knew what she was doing, she was trine leader and it was her orders that sent them flying. However her 'team' decided to try the task without her and set off on their own.

"Permission to pursue the enemy?" Skyseam asks me. Smiling I nod. Always ask the commanding officer permission just in case. She rockets upwards and switches to alt mode, zipping past her teammates.

"She's more disciplined than I had thought." Optimus says, looking up from a data file.

"Only when she's angry." I reply.

-Skyseam's POV-

Swooping over the area I choose a place to land. Jazz would go for hiding rather than running since he knew seekers could fly faster. Landing in a building complex I turn in every which way.

"Skyseam you idiot, what was that?" Freefall demands. I was getting fed up with him quickly.

"Frag you." My words stun him into silence which gets broken by Cloudstrutter.

"What's your deal?"

"As the Elite apprentice trine leader you are supposed to follow my orders. I don't doubt you haven't been docked points." Just then I see a shift in the shadows. Jazz was all mine but perhaps he didn't think I had seen him yet. Walking with a swagger over in the direction of the ally I shut off my comm. link.

Stepping past the initial spot I had marked I turn with a coy smile right before a large mech pounced on me. He traps my screams by jamming my chin upwards. "Aren't I lucky? Starscream's own apprentice. I know you know who I am or is your memory faulty?"

The cloth thrown over the mech falls to the ground and I did manage to scream. Megatron chuckles as he leans over me, his free servo covering my glass cockpit. Half his helm was blown away and his frame was heavily damaged but he was still way more than I could handle. I scrabble against him fruitlessly. This was a bad dream and I would wake up, I would wake up any minute from now, recharging in my berth.

"Good, you do remember me. I see you've added some more colors. It makes what I'm about to do tolerable." His digits begin prying open my spark chamber panels and I struggle more. "Tell me, do you know what happens in a spark bond?" His other servo moves from my chin as he grips my neck cables.

"Two bots share a once in a lifetime bond which they can't break and can communicate without the aid of any device no matter the distance." I say as I gasp for air, sparks popping in my optics.

"Do you know what happens when a weaker willed bot merges with one as powerful as mine?" I shake my helm no, struggling to breath. "So Soundwave didn't tell his precious daughter? You see the weaker willed bot bends to the will of the other, unable to control themselves. This is a delicious opportunity for me isn't it?" He finally pries my spark chamber open, the bright red of my spark bouncing off his silver plating.

"You see little Skyseam, you will tear the Autobots and Decepticons apart from the inside out, all because I say so." I was crying, silently begging Primus that he'd wake me up. I knew the world wasn't fair, but it couldn't be this cruel. His panels slide open and his dark grey spark lowers out, a bolt snaking out to constrict mine.

It was unbearable, the pain that ripped through my systems. This was not how I wanted to be spark bonded, not how I wanted to spend my life. I wanted to grow old with the bot of my choosing, sparklings grown and holding grand sparklings. 'Life isn't fair little seeker.' Megatron's voice growls in my processor. 'Get used to the fact that you are a tool and that is all you'll ever be.' I press my mind against him, struggling as pain crashed through my systems.

I feel my tanks begging for a purge as I feel him hook himself up to my interface systems. I couldn't stop my sobs. My systems rebel as I feel Megatron's overload and he unhooks himself from me. Sitting up I find myself once more alone but still in the ally. 'Remember my little tear in the sky, attempt to defy me and not only will I kill those you love but I'll use you to do it."

I sit there in silence, feeling numb, not moving even as the day descended into sunset. The sound of an engine halts near the entrance to the ally but it immediately stops. The sound of ped steps alerts me to someone's presence but I refuse to look up. 'Tell them nothing.' The dark voice coos in my audios, almost lovingly.

"Skyseam, thank Primus I found you. Are you hurt?" I look down at my frame, I looked completely unharmed except for a few bits of silver paint scraped onto my frame. Glancing up at Optimus I catch and hold his optics. This worried him. "Starscream come to my location immediately!" He calls into his comm. link.

The Autobot leader leans down next to me and reaches out a cautious servo. Gently and ever so careful he pulls me in for a hug I don't return. I felt detached, like my personality had been stripped from my very core.

Rather than Starscream, Backfire arrived first, moving to take me out of Optimus' servos. "What happened sweet spark?" He asks gingerly. Why? Did something seem wrong with me.

"I'm fine. Can I just go home now?"

Backfire nuzzles my helm. "Of course we can, of course we can." 


	13. Chapter 13

Ch 13: Devil Inside

-Optimus' POV-

Backfire had already left but I was going to stay exactly where I was. The sound of Starscream landing nearby makes me look up. He walks towards me at a hurried pace. "I saw Skyseam, she didn't seem right." He says as he draws near.

"Her optics, they're a yellow orange right?" He kneels down next to me.

"Usually, but when I saw her..."

"Ruby red." We both say at the same time. Something catches my optic and I pick it up.

"What is it?" Starscream asks, peering at it.

"Does Skyseam have purple Decepticon decals anywhere on her?" I ask back.

"No, why?" I frown at the small purple triangle.

"Never mind, it's probably nothing." I tuck the triangle away in my subspace and motion that it was time to go. "Do you think her optics have anything to do with emotionality?"

"Maybe but usually the only change I notice with her when she reaches an extreme of an emotion is the voice programming. She had to have seen something." Starscream whispers the last part. Jazz drives up along side us.

"What's going on? Did you find her?" He asks, going into bipedal and falling in step next to us.

"Yeah but she seems to be unharmed." We head towards the starting point of the challenge to see Skyseam walking away at a fast pace and Freefall walking after her quickly. Soundwave was quickly discussing things over with Backfire. Ratbat and Razorbeak flew overhead in a circle. "Starscream can you go after Skyseam?" I ask my betrothed.

"No need to ask, I intended to do it anyway." He replies, walking quickly.

I place a servo up to my audio. "Red Alert? There's an area that needs to be watched for suspicious behavior. The coordinates are..."

-Starscream's POV-

"Skyseam stop!" I hear Freefall call out from around the corner.

"What! Do you want me to just stand here as you go back to insulting me?" I peak around the corner the see Skyseam jab a digit into Freefall's spark chamber plating. It was more forceful than I was used to seeing her do it and by Freefall's face I could tell he noticed it to.

Freefall frowns then grabs her arms, pulling her flush up against his frame. "What's gotten into you?" He asks. She immediately flies off the handle as if he had come close to saying something he shouldn't have.

"What do you think you're doing? How dare you touch me so!" She yells into his face. Freefall growls in frustration before letting go of her arms to grab either side of her helm to press his lips to hers. He shouldn't have let go of her arms, I realize as she lands a punch to his midsection, ramming him backwards. She stands over him as he tries to scramble up from the ground and places a ped on his chassis.

"You overstep yourself in trying to seduce your leader. Learn your place before I make you." I had had enough of this show. Stalking out from around the corner I grab hold of her and lift her upwards before pushing her up against the wall.

I didn't know what to say, what could I say? As my optics lock with hers I feel my spark twist with fear. The ruby red optics I wasn't used to seeing dance with malice and scorn, a look I had only ever seen in Megatron's optics. I quickly drop her and start walking back to where I had last saw Optimus. As I turn the corner I break into a run then transform and fly over quickly.

"Optimus!" I call as I land. He looks up from talking to Soundwave and walks over. "Please tell me you have what you picked up back in the ally." He reaches into his subspace and holds out the piece of decal to me. I snatch it up and peer closely at it.

"Please tell me Ratchet can pull data from this to trace it back to who it belongs to. Something is definitely wrong with Seam and I pray to Primus my hunch is wrong."

"What is your hunch?" Optimus asks.

"She might have run into a rogue Decepticon out there and they might have implanted a virus of some sort." Optimus motions to a blue mech that had arrived on the scene, probably right after I had left. The mech races over at high speeds and stops next to us.

"Blurr, can you take this" He motions to the insignia piece in my servo. "To Ratchet to have a data scan done on it?" Blurr grabs it and looks closely at it.

"Sure-no-problem." With these three slurred together words he races off in the direction of the infirmary.

"It's getting late." Optimus remarks, looking up at the darkening sky.

"Yeah, I guess it's time to turn in for the night. We have plans for that ceremony to go over. At least they let us have full reign on the events. Or as much full reign as you can get on a state event." I reply. We nod to each other and as I walk back I couldn't help but think of those violent red optics glaring at me from Skyseam's face.

A/N Sorry that this one is so short.


	14. Chapter 14

Ch 14: No Turning Back

-Several Joors Later-

Something ticking on my window gradually beings me out of recharge and I look over. Sitting up I hear it again followed by another five nanoklicks later. Walking over I open the window and get pegged with a small piece of metal. Startled I stumble backwards before glaring out the window. "What is your deal?" I hiss down at Optimus who chuckles. "Sunrise isn't for another joor and the door ringer works perfectly fine!"

He motions me down and I reluctantly climb out my window and jump down to below the ledge where he was standing. "Sorry, it's a human custom that I thought was kind of cute. Besides, I can't imagine tossing something at anyone else's window." I frown at him and he scratches his faceplate. "But now I'm thinking it was a bad idea."

"Maybe, maybe not. What does this particular custom mean?"

"Well, someone who wants to see someone else badly enough tosses small rocks at their windows. Why they don't use the door is because they don't want to disturb anyone. It's sort of a romantic custom." He starts turning away and I frown again, grabbing his arm and towing him back in.

"Well, you wanted me for a reason, what was it?" I ask, not loosening my grip and holding his arm tight against my frame.

"Well I wanted to watch the sunrise with you. Since we're going to be stuck together I was hoping I could get to know you better outside of the office." This time the blush hit me hard, swamping my faceplates and the front section of my neck cables. Abruptly I turn away but accidentally ended up smacking him with a wing.

"Ah, sorry!" I say quickly as he rubs his arm. Gently he caresses the edge of the wing that had hit him to make sure I hadn't done any damage. "I'm fine!" I snap, yelling in a whisper. He puts up his servos in defense and chuckles. "Sorry, again."

"It's alright. So do you want me to leave?"

"No!" I say quickly. "Uh, that is, I'd like to watch the sunrise with you. Primus I'm horrible at this." I place my faceplates into my servos with a sigh. A tug on my arm makes me look up then follow him as he walks away. Eventually we ended up on a roof, sitting on the edge and looking to the horizon.

We talk for awhile and eventually the sky begins to lighten. During our talk Optimus had slipped his servo over mine, squeezing my didgets gently. Just as the sun was about to break I tug him down and tap on his face mask. "Lose it." I whisper.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." He says, shying away. Sighing in exasperation I remove my servo from his and tug him down.

"Do you think I care what you look like under that mask? It's not your paint job I find attractive it's your personality." And finally as the first rays of the sun rise his face mask retracts and I pull him down for a kiss. Gently I move my lip components against his, gently prodding with my glossa. My systems did a flip when he opened his mouth and I entwined my glossa with his.

Pulling away I caress his face, gently brushing over two wide scars that had been previously covered. His optics look away from mine and I pat his cheek plate. "Wanna know something about seekers? Most of us find scars a turn on. To us scars signify the bot's ability to live, to survive against harsh odds. It means they can protect others, something highly desirable in a mate." His optics move back to mine as I speak. "Even with the scars you're handsome." I whisper as an afterthought before pulling him back down for another kiss.

-Skyseam's POV-

'Perhaps I did not think this through. You will come to me immediately.' It wasn't a request, it was an order. But I wasn't going to do it. 'Resistance is futile Seekress.' My legs move of their own accord as well as my arms. My entire frame was in motion without me controlling myself at all. 'Yes bend to my will.'

After I enter the main room I manage to dig my feet into the floor, refusing to move. Onlining one optic I try for a smile but then my left shoulder plate and neck cables erupt into pain. Clamping my mouth shut I hold in my scream, it was still early and I didn't want to wake anyone. 'You will move or I will continue.' Releasing my control I stumble forward and continue to move. I make it out the door and as soon as I do I realize I can move my legs by myself. 'I am giving a bit of control right now; try to return and the next place I target will be more painful.' I do as he says, walking farther from the guest house. Two figures appear farther down the path and I duck into an ally.

"I was thinking on maybe taking a trip to earth sometime, Skyseam would probably like to come with." My own servos close over my mouth at Starscream's voice, preventing me from crying out.

"Hold on, it's Ratchet." Optimus says and they come to a halt at the mouth of the ally. I was thankful for the trash I was hiding behind. There was silence for a short klick. "WHAT?" Optimus yells. "That's impossible, Megatron is dead." My spark squeezes and twists. "Starscream, you need to get Skyseam now." Feeling panic take over my processor I creep backwards, ducking behind several objects. I was in trouble and I had no clue what they would do to me. Turning at the last point I break into a frantic run, manipulating my wings so they tilted behind me and wouldn't block the air. I couldn't risk flying; I'd be spotted for sure. But where could I go?

'Head to Chaon. I will meet you there.' Megatron commands in my head. I knew what he was talking about. Chaon, the previous Decepticon capital was close to Vos but the area was now home to the scum of Cybertron being reserved as it's underground central. Coming up to the palace district gates I notice a bot standing guard, whistling a tune. My body freezes up on me, Megatron resuming control.

As I walked forward Jazz turns to me with a smile. My own lip components curl upwards. The only things I seemed to be able to control were my optics and I tried desperately to warn him away. "Hey Seam, come to visit me?"

"Not exactly." I hear my voice purr. "But consequently you're in my way." I watch in horror as my servo plunges through his shoulder, ripping out wiring. My other servo rammed into his helm. Energon dripped from my servo as Jazz crumpled before me and I feel my optics spill over. Primus, I had just watched myself kill one of my best friends. 'How fun, I forgot what it feels like to kill an Autobot. Refreshing.' My body turns away and transforms, halfway across the city I regain control. If I listened close enough I could hear alarms blaring across the city. I could never come back.

-Optimus POV-

I watch Starscream bolt back out the door, the other seekers following. "She's not here!" He complains, optics frantic with panic.

"Maybe Ratchet would know something." We head to the med bay and walk through the doors to find Ratchet waiting.

"I thought you might come. Is she not with you?" He asks as the rest of the seekers pile in.

"No, I think she ran." Starscream says.

"When you picked her up from that challenge did anything seem off?" Ratchet asks, leading us down the hall to a meeting room. Inside was a screen displaying data.

"That's a little bit of an understatement. She seemed drawn in, didn't say what was wrong, became violent and defensive. Also, her optics were off." At Starscream's last sentence Ratchet whips around.

"Off? Off how?"

"They were a different color from usual." I reply for him. Ratchet moves to a computer and starts punching in information.

"I have good news, bad news, and ugly news. What do you want to hear first?"

"Good." Starscream and I both respond.

"She's not infected with a virus. Her firewalls are too strong and the only ones that would probably take affect would have to be put in through the processor. Bad news is what you described to me was a spark bond version of rape. The ugly news is Megatron committed the deed and with a mind like Skyseam he can control her easily." Everyone drops into silence and I spare a glance at Starscream. He was staring at the table in the middle of the room blankly, servos fisting themselves.

The silence was broken by a maroon and grey bot running into the meeting room. "What's wrong Pistons?" Ratchet asks as the bot in question turns his fans on to cool his systems.

"Ratchet we need you down in E.R. A bot named Jazz was just emitted and he's in horrible shape." 


	15. Chapter 15

A/N Spitfire talks with a southern accent in case you're all wondering.

Ch 15: Rise of the Shadowcons

-Five Decacycles Later-

-Starscream's POV-

"Still no sign?" I ask in my comm. dejectedly.

"Sorry but there's no sign of her in Vos." Thrust says with a sigh. "You've been trying for a decacycle Screamer, just give up. If you want I can get you another apprentice, one not so weak."

"Skyseam isn't weak Thrust. Size isn't everything! And tell Vos command I don't want another apprentice, I'm just going to keep looking until she's found." Thrust sighs once more before the comm. link shuts off and I sigh, leaning into my desk. He was going to send one anyway.

"Thought I might find you here. Any luck?" Optimus asks as I look up.

"No, and you're ruining custom!" I tell him and he sighs. "Don't sigh at me; you know I'm a stickler for tradition." I tell him with a small smile. As he steps further in I stand up and walk over to him.

"Yeah I know, I was just worried. You know, you look more attractive in your original colors." He was referring to the new paint job I had acquired for today. I was painted up in dark blues and fire truck red while he was painted white, cherry red, and sky blue.

"Same could be said about you." I say with a wider smile, tipping my helm so I could kiss his face guard. "I suppose the ceremony is about to start?"

"Not for another joor." He replies, dragging a digit across my cockpit. I slap the offending servo away.

"Don't push it Prime, I broke one rule of tradition today there is no way I'm breaking two." I lead him out of the office, locking it behind me and start dragging my betrothed out to the landing the ceremony would be held on. As slight tug on my arm makes me turn to see Optimus staring straight up.

A figure was watching us from the top of a building. A seeker by the looks of it but I couldn't be sure as to just who it was. But I could be sure it wasn't Seam, she would have come straight to me, or would she? "Suddenly I don't feel so safe out in the open." I remark, planning on making a mad dash.

Optimus' servo slips easily into mine and gives it a reassuring squeeze. He'd try his best to protect me if this mysterious seeker dared an attack. I place my servo to my audio as we start walking again.

"Skyfire, can I ask you a favor?" I call out to my best friend.

"Depends." I sigh, he was always like this nowadays.

"There's a mysterious seeker hanging about the area. I was hoping you'd grab TC and Warp and did a quick flight over the area."

"... Do you think it could be her?" He asks after a silence.

"I doubt it. Despite who it is I want you to take them out."

"Affirmative." A moment later I watch Skyfire fly overhead, TC and Warp spinning offensively around him. Hopefully it wouldn't have to come down to a fight.

"We should hurry, we'll be late if we stay behind to watch." Optimus says, now taking the lead.

-Skyseam's POV-

I felt sick. Megatron had been right. 'I told you he would only treat you with hostility. Look, here comes his friends to terminate you right now.' My optics zero in on the large shuttle and Warp and TC flying around him. They'd be here in a few moments. Leaping backwards I transform and start racing away.

As I do a spilt turn I catch sight of Warp frantically warping in and out through the air, aiming to pin me. Thundercracker had disappeared from my view as well as the shuttle. How could a bot so big hide so well? I ask myself as I drop from the air by cutting all power.

As my warning sensors go off I transform and skid on the ground, angling my wings so they'd cut the air and make me slide faster. I smile as Warp is joined by TC who transforms into bipedal mode and begins looking around frantically. That was when I was bodily lifted from the ground.

"I don't know who you are and what you think you're doing but I guess I don't really want to know." My holder turns me around and I come faceplate to faceplate with the shuttle former.

"Drop me this instant, it's the only warning you'll ever get." I hiss. The other bot just laughs.

"You? You don't look threatening at all." I launch my ped into his chest and ignite my thruster, causing a vicious burn. He drops me.

"Next time you grab a Shadowcon and they tell you to drop them you know, well you get the idea." I turn and ignite my thrusters, blowing past TC and Warp then turning and launching two warning shots in their direction.

After taking a roundabout route I land at the other end of the palace district. 'You did the right thing. They were going to offline you.'

"You don't know that." I hiss angrily as I lean my front into a wall, dragging my servos down it in a hopeless act of trying to break free.

'Are you forgetting that you killed Jazz? You can't forgive that kind of crime.'

"I didn't kill him, you killed him."

'That's not what they'll say, what he'll say. Now be a good little glitch and do your job.' Primus how I wanted to break down in tears right then and there but then Megatron would seize my body again. Either I did what he wanted or I'd be a prisoner in my own body. I stand up. 'Good girl.'

The stockades were around here somewhere. Inside I would find Cybertronians of every make and model with almost every skill I'd need for Megatron's new army, hastily dubbed the Shadowcons. These prisoners would become our elite fighting force. Already I had managed to contact Shockwave in Tarn and he joined without hesitation. Currently he was Shadowcon second in command. Not that there was much to command.

After a short flight I land on a ledge on the side of one of the stockade buildings and crouch low. Taking a quick glance inside I see the prisoners all lined up in their cells but no guards in sight. They would be at the ceremonies today.

I slip inside after removing the bars on one of the windows and drop onto the floor. Walking up to the closest cell I break open the lock and step in. The bot I was facing slowly gets up from the berth and towers over me. "Such a precious little thing." He croons. I trace a digit across his plates as he comes within reach.

"Hey there, would you care to hear my offer?" I croon back, playing the part I needed to play to escape a beating from Megatron when I got back.

"And what offer is that?"

"I help you escape and you become part of a new army that will take back Cybertron." I purr.

"And if I refused?" He asks, hesitation in his voice.

"I save the jailers time and credits by killing you right now." As I spoke I flicked out a wrist blade and now had it pressed hard against his neck cables. He chuckles before he replies.

"Sounds good to me. Call me Stormchaser." I remove my blade with a smile and motion towards the door. Stormchaser kept true to his word and even helped me out in going through the cells. In the end I wound up with twenty bots and cons, mostly cons. My spark sinks as I realize we had killed that number plus eight more. I would get a beating.

One of the newly made Shadowcons walks forward. He had an orange, red, and green paint job and fell just short of being my height. "Spitfire, ma'am. I'm wondering, how do you plan on getting us out? Or do you want to go through the other cell blocks?"

"No, we don't have time for any others." I point to the main door and the Shadowcons take a few shuffling steps forward. They stop as I get down on my knees and look to each other in confusion. Twining my servos together I bow my helm and begin to pray.

I prayed for each and every brave soul that had refused my offer. I prayed that they would find themselves in Primus' good graces and prayed that none would find themselves thrown in the pit. A servo resting lightly on my shoulder plate makes me look up. The femme was silver, dark red, and white with steady legs and thin arms. A scar was etched into her face, slicing downward.

"If you say we are pressed for time then I suggest we leave now. We can pray for the fallen when we reach our destination." Her voice was wispy like the wind and her blue optics filled me with a sense of calm.

"Come on." I lead the way to the door. After a charged kick the door flies outward and crashes into the wall opposite, alerting the two solitary guards. I hit them both with null rays before stepping over their fallen frames. 


	16. Chapter 16

A/N This just so happens to be my longest story yet and it has the least reviews. Oh well, even if people just skip this story I'm still going to write until it's finished.

Ch 16: Deceptibot Beginning

'Kill them.' Megatron whispers to me.

'No time.' I reply back. 'They would have called for help.' I dash for the side door, my prisoners chasing after me. We make it outside and immediately head to the armory where Spitfire showed me an amazing talent of his. He knocks gently on the wall of the building, tapping his digits here and there. Finding a good spot he motions to the femme who had told me to go.

"Right on this spot Windstorm." He calls over quietly.

Apparently she was even more special. As I watch her arms expand outwards and she plants her legs into the ground firmly. A humming fills the air as a large blast of wind slams into the wall, buckling and tearing the thick metal open easily.

My troops rush in and outfit themselves in weapons, rushing to beat the blaring alarms. It takes them all about four klicks to get themselves in gear and on the move. Megatron would be pleased with this lot. "Alright, the target destination is Chaon. You will split into three groups to get there. Stormchaser will lead one group, Spitfire, Windstorm, lead the other two."

"What will you do?" A voice calls from the back.

"I'm going to cover your retreat. Now get moving!" They transform and move out and I rise to the air. Sadly I didn't have any fliers. Sure enough a security team was running in our direction. Aiming some well placed shots I watch the security bots drop to the ground.

"Skyseam?" I would know that voice anywhere. Whipping around I slam my leg into Freefall's side. He always got too close.

"I don't often get called that." I reply calmly. It was his fault I was in this situation. "And besides, I thought I was only a tape deck to you." He stares back at me, probably thinking I'd offline him, but I drop away towards the ground, tilting and bouncing off the ground by putting my thrusters on full blast. I didn't have time for old comrades.

Someone grasps me around the middle and holds on tight. The orange paint on the arms tells me exactly who it was. "Let go Strut, or you'll regret it." I hiss out.

"Why? Why does it have to be this way? Come back, please!" Strut pleads into my audio.

"I can't go back! You should know that." Swinging around I ram my back into a building, squashing Strut. As he drops off I sky rocket upwards and quickly locate my squads. They were smart and making their way to an abandoned sector. They'd be safe enough and I had just about enough time for one last thing.

-Optimus' POV-

"It was her. The paint might have been different but I only know two seekers who can perform fancy flying like that and one of them is over there with you." My spark sinks. A glance over at Starscream showed he had heard Red Alert's report and looked like he had every intention of perusing her. I rest a servo on his shoulder plate.

"Starscream we aren't ready to confront her yet. Ratchet is still trying to come up with a way of removing Megatron's spark from hers that would be less hazardous then ripping the two apart which would kill her." For a second I thought he was going to ignore me anyway but he let's out a sigh.

"I know, it's just that I'm so worried for her. I know Megatron on a personal level. You can bet credits on him beating her on an ornly basis." He says and my spark squeezes in sympathy. I glance towards Ultra Magnus who was in deep conversation with the cleric bot. After awhile Ultra Magnus steps up to the podium.

"The ceremony will proceed even though we have been hit by a new enemy. I don't expect much resistance from these Shadowcons and find them to be hardly a threat. Cleric." He motions to the cleric bot and everyone moves to take their seats. Starscream and I took up places beside the podium.

I wasn't really paying close attention. Despite what Ultra Magnus had said these new Shadowcons would be a major threat. A quick glance at Starscream told me he wasn't paying much attention either. Funny how Starscream was considered one of the more harder cons to read, Megatron apparently liked to be surprised due to his choice of officers, but I could read him as easily as a data file now that I took the time to actually learn more about him.

As if sensing my stare he glances up and offers me a cautious smile. "Optimus Prime, do you swear to bind yourself to Starscream in mind, body, and spark?" The cleric asks. I banish my thoughts and take hold of Starscream's servos.

"I do."

"Starscream, do you swear to bind yourself to Optimus Prime in mind, body, and spark?"

"I do."

"The Autobots and Decepticons are now a unified people through this joining. So mote it be!"

The crowd erupts into 'so mote it be's and Starscream taps a digit on my face mask. Smirking I allow it to slide open and Starscream pulls me in for a kiss. Although it wasn't a custom in Iacon to kiss your mate in such a ceremony it was one of the biggest Vos traditions. If I had not known about it before I would have now due to the eruption of cheers coming from the Decepticon side.

As we pull apart the crowd drops into startled murmurs. Chancing a glance upwards I spot the unknown seeker, now clarified as Skyseam, pivoting in the air, shooting off short lived projectiles that exploded in the sky, raining different colored sparks onto us. With a final flourish she ignites her thrusters and leans back, flying of and transforming in mid boost.

-Starscream's POV-

As I watch Skyseam's performance I remember a talk she and I had shared in bygone days. An ancient Vos custom was the seekers closest to the joined couple performed an areal dance of joy to celebrate and convey happiness of the joining. I had made an off hand statement that it would be wonderful to have something like that at my own joining ceremony. Skyseam had stated back that she would be the one to dance the winds for me, even if she had to do it alone.

My spark clenched painfully as she flew away. Putting my servo to my audio I pray that she was listening in. "I'm not giving up on you Skyseam." I don't get a reply but that was fine, by the way of doing a light dive she had told me that she had heard me.

"Don't worry, she will come back some day." Soundwave says to me, patting me on the shoulder.

A/N Sorry that Starscream gets such a short part in this story. And because I can the next chapter is ALL about Skyseam.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N

JAMA16: You commented not only twice but you asked fro the same thing. So now I'm putting your fears to rest, sort of. Skyseam gets a happy ending, sort of. Remember, I love you.

LadyGossamer: It makes me beyond happy that you like my apprentice seeker trine. I try hard to work in any of my OCs to my stories and make them seem like actual characters instead of Mary Sues and Gary Stus.

FireRage7: And this fic loves you!

Anon: Good to know you're happy I'm seeing this through to the end.

You four give me my motivation. Love you guys.

Ch 17: Welcome to the Future in Frame Work

-Skyseam's POV-

He was silent, completely and utterly silent. It was at these times Megatron was most volatile. After half a joor he pats me on the helm. "The twenty new Shadowcons are well selected. You did a good job. But yet I am still dissatisfied. Why is that?" He asks voice almost cheerful.

"I didn't kill the guards, I killed more prisoners then what we recruited, and I was recognized." A gentle pat on my cheek plate makes me shudder.

"Do you think I will beat you for a few minor misgivings?"

"Yes sir." I say quietly, too afraid to raise my head.

"Maybe on a regular day but I am weary. Why don't you go out and find yourself a recontructionist? I don't want to see your face for a decacycle so it should give you plenty of time to find one." Megatron smacks me, sending me sprawling into a wall. I listen to his thunderous steps as he limps away, feeling the stares of the newly recruited Shadowcons.

A gentle servo pulls me up and directs my face upwards to check the damage. It was Stormchaser. "That's a nasty looking dent precious." He mutters. I push his servo away gently.

"I deserve every moment of the torment. I was fool enough to let him catch me alone and force me to bond with him." This upset Spitfire.

"He's bonded to you? Slag heaps like that who don't know how to treat a femme right should be the ones locked away." He mutters darkly, spitting onto the floor what appeared to be acid since it burned holes into the concrete under his peds. "I don care whut any you's folk say, I ain't loyal to that trash. He didn't get me out of that fix, he didn't defend me, and he didn't show me the respect of leading a team. Skyseam is my leader and any you say she ain't fit to lead gets my guns in their rear." He slipped easily into a lower class speak, hinting at his origins. The other bots gathered, all twenty, murmured their agreement.

Looking at all of them I wonder just what each of their crimes were. "Stormchaser?" I ask cautiously. He nods, acknowledging me. "What were you arrested for?"

"Ah, I was arrested for a brawl in Iacon. Some seeker was in the bar, the Decepticon leader's creation. Doesn't matter that I was fighting to defend the femme, I still got locked up." He had been there? Right in the fight that had crippled me? And he had defended me? I give his frame a quick hug then pull away, leaving him with a confused expression.

"What about you Spitfire?" I ask the venomous mech.

"I decided one of the old council members needed a bit of a spit shine. How was I supposed to know I'd burn away his plating?" He says with a coy smile. Several of the other bots clapped quietly.

"How about you Windstorm?"

The femme bows her head. "I was arrested for speaking of religion in an undesignated area without a license." Several other bots call out that was what they were arrested for as well. I look to the bot on the right edge of the crowd.

"And you are?" I ask. He steps forward.

"Sundown." Like his name his paint job went from orange to purple. "I was arrested on false charges of treason. They found the original spy but I had been forgotten about."

I point to the con next to him. He was a myriad of purples and I suspected he turned into a two wheeler of sorts. "Sidestep. I killed my commanding officer when I was an Autobot. After the Decepticons surrendered I was brought in."

"Why'd you kill him?"

"He ordered me to torture my prisoners for information." I pat him on the shoulder plate, letting him know I agreed with his method, even though it was a bit too extreme. I motion to a sea green and yellow mech behind him.

"Brine, I was hired for a hit on a councilor." I notice a long barrel rising from his back. So he was a sniper, it would come in handy.

I went through them all, learned their names and what they were taken in for. 

Clipped sounding ped steps sound down the tunnel and I turn to see Shockwave. If anyone repulsed me other than Megatron it was this cyber snake from Tarn. "Odd, I do believe Megatron sent you out Skyseam. It could be arranged for you to stay down in this hole and escape his notice... For a price." I shuddered and backed away to the entrance.

"I will never interface with you." I part with a hiss. As I stand outside the sewer entrance I start scrapping off the temporary paint. "Just because I'm bonded to Megatron doesn't mean I have to look like his transsexual double." I mutter.

"Amen to that sister." I was Shock, one of the few femmes I had just recruited. Apparently she and two of her friends had followed me up.

"So, you need a reconstructionist? I know just the mech." A black femme with pink and purple swirls, Toxic, says, leaning on one of my shoulder plates and peeling off some of the silver paint. "If you're lucky he's still in Chaon, this place is a glitch to get out of even in today's world." She drags me along, the other two following.

"You're a high town girl right? You're voice is too proper for the streets." Shock asks. She was a black, blue, and light blue femme. Gun former if I new my models right.

"Yeah I guess you could say that although I don't see a difference other than background. We're all built from the same materials." I look to Skybird, a white and light grey femme, who gives me a smile.

After several joors of walking through some of the most dangerous streets I had ever seen, I mostly kept to the sewers, we arrive at the door to a building that looked like any other. Toxic leads me in without another glance and the other femmes wait outside.

The inside was surprisingly clean and the place was softly lit, easy on the optics. "I'm afraid the doctor is out. How can I help you?" A mech with his back to us asks, looking at a range of items on a self. He half turns then turns all the way around. "Toxic? Haven't seen you in awhile." He says, his orange optics glinting. "Who's this, your new mate?"

"Naw, she's stuck with a slag heap of a mech. Not her choice either. So, I was wondering, you, uh, still offer those discounts on femmes?" The mech's optics travel over to pin me. He had a strong build and actually didn't look flashy at all, like most Reconstructionists did. His paint was mostly a dark blue with added touches of silver. His faceplates were orange.

"What kind of frame work are you looking for?" He asks, walking forward. When all was said and done he was slightly over Starscream's height. Walking in a circle around me he gently pokes my frame, his clawed servos making a tapping sound as he walked them over my back. "Never worked a seeker before, should be fun. Sure I'll give you the discount. The work I have in mind however would cost 20,000 credits." That much? I would have only forty two credits left for myself.

"What did you envision Breakdown?" Toxic asks the mech. He pulls out a data pad, captures my image, and manipulates it with a few flicks of his digits. I glance at it but it's quickly pulled away.

"Sorry, I like to surprise femmes when I get done with them. Do we have a deal? You won't get a better one anywhere else." I could believe that due to what I had seen of Chaon and although I was comfortable in my current frame I dare not return to Megatron the way I looked. I reach out a servo and Breakdown narrows his eyes.

I nod to my servo, waiting for him to shake it. "I'm willing to agree to your deal, are you going to shake or not?" He stares at my servo before finally reaching out and shaking it.

"Why are we doing this again?" He asks.

"To seal the deal. Don't they shake servos where you come from?"

"Ah, one of those upper class mannerisms. No, here we just sign the dotted line." He let's go and offers another data pad with said line. I hand over my credit chit and sign the line. The next moment I felt him stab a needle into my neck cables and as I dropped onto the floor I had the sinking feeling I'd just been duped. 


	18. Chapter 18

A/N Just so everyone knows Breakdown and Knockout stay in their Prime versions. Do I love Knockout? Not as much as I love Starscream. :]

This is all told from KO's POV FYI.

Ch 18: Doctor in the House

-Knockout's POV-

Rubbing my servo behind my neck cables I glance around before stepping back into my building. "I don't suppose we have any clients today?" I call out. Not receiving an answer from my assistant I halt mid step and listen closely. The next nanoklick I heard the sound of a surgical saw.

Following the noise I head over to one of the rooms we kept for clients. I peek through the window to see Breakdown cutting through a femme's plating then glance at a data pad.

Stepping through the decontamination chamber I make my way into the room. "Having fun?" I knew seeker frames were incredibly difficult to do considering you couldn't just use any plating and you had to make sure measurements were just right. Thankfully for the femme I had caught Breakdown in the first step. My assistant turns towards me and sighs.

"I have no clue where I'm going with this. I thought seeker physiology was similar to ground pounders. I guess not." I shake my helm and crack my digits.

"I'll take over and you watch. Hopefully you'll understand seeker physiology when I finish." I take the saw from his servos and whip out my own and glance at the data pad. "Line here, slice there." I mutter to myself. Avoiding all of her lines I remove all the plating from the femme and start moving it around, welding pieces together.

Seekers were one of my favorite models to do. They were sleek to begin with but under my servos I could make them sleeker, adding speed to their flight. As I finish welding the pieces together I place them over her wires, gently pushing those together to make a fit. Finally finishing the third step I weld all the pieces together to complete her frame. "Now we let her sit for today. We'll work on her wings next orn. Then her face after we finish those. And finally we add the paint." Although I did work on seekers I didn't do work on femmes; that was more of Breakdown's thing. I'd let him take care of her helm.

-Next Orn-

Humming to myself I tap the Seekress on the helm and receive no response. Still effected by the sedatives then. Seekers had an incredible immune system, due to picking up any and all airborne contagions in their flights, so I could only hope the sedatives would stay in effect until I was done.

Gently caressing her wing I wonder what kind of femme she was. Her original frame was old fashioned but still beautiful although her paint had been stripped. If she was a pleasure bot then she wouldn't have bothered with reconstruction. Thus she must be escaping something and changing her features to stay hidden.

My servo wanders down to a mark seemingly burned into the base of her wings. It looked close to the Decepticon symbol (which was being revised) but had four lines burned under it on each side. "Well, back to work." I say out loud, returning to my humming.

Being extra cautious I ply the plating off the delicate wings. As I trim the plating a second voice adds to my humming and I halt immediately. Looking towards the door I see a large, single optic, mech leaning against the wall in the shadows. He held such an air of superiority I swore it could stink up the room for orns.

"I'm sorry but your not part of my staff." I say sarcastically. "This room is off limits, if you would like to schedule an appointment I suggest you wait outside in the lobby." I return to my work and sigh in disgust as the mech grabs my shoulder plate.

"You'd do best to watch your tone. I'm just concerned for Skyseam's well being. Can't say I fancy the style you've chosen to use though." I caught the whiff of sarcasm and I slap his servo away before changing mine into a saw and putting it against his neck cables.

"Well being my aft. Mechs like you only want femmes and mechs like us for one thing. Leave now and I won't pull you apart." The mech let's out a sigh before backing up. He leaves without another word and I turn back to my patient.

"Thank you." I jump backwards at the sound of the screechy voice. The femme had turned her face to look at me, her red optics giving off a soft glow. "I will warn you though; Shockwave can be a monster when he wants to be."

"Shockwave? The leader of Tarn would sully his name by coming here? Unless of course he's the one you're trying to escape."

Her gaze becomes complacent and she sighs. "No although I wish it was. I didn't even want the reconstruction anyway. Speaking of which I noticed you weren't Breakdown. Is he alright?"

Someone who knew Shockwave personally and probably worked with him was concerned for my assistant's well being? I place a servo to my audio. I'd humor her. "Breakdown status report."

"Status on what? The only thing we have going for us is that client you're working on right now."

"Carry on then." I cut the link and turn back to Skyseam. "He's fine. What I'd like to know is why you're so concerned for him. I can't imagine you're attracted to him." She chuckles and I return to work on her wings. I noticed she was looking away.

"Him, no. Even though my bondmate has made it clear that he doesn't give a slag as to who I interface with. And before you ask, yes, I'm a bit squeamish." I quickly place the pieces of her wing together. Carefully splitting her wiring in two sections I slide the double wing pieces on then bolt them onto her shoulder plates.

I pull up a chair in front of her face and bring myself down to her optic level. "So how did you know I was going to ask if you were squeamish?"

"A good guess. Contrary to popular belief I can't read minds like daddy dearest."

I tilt my helm. "Pray tell, who is daddy dearest?"

"Not many seekers are femmes and not a whole lot from either selection are named Skyseam." I don't offer an answer and she sighs. "Right, this is Chaon where news travels no where." She chuckles. "I'm Soundwave's creation. I doubt you'll get a ransom if you try to place one. He'll probably just give the 'I don't give in to anyone' speech."

"Well, I can't do anything further today and since I doubt you want to wait for an orn face down then I'm going to have to sedate you again." I take out a syringe.

"Alright." I inject the needle and watch as her optics dim then close. Caressing her cheek gently I watch the faceplates relax at my touch.

-Next Orn-

As fate would have it a new client came in the next orn. Since Skyseam was originally Breakdown's client this new client took precedence. "You're good with faces Breakdown, make Skyseam petty." Breakdown nods to me and wanders off. I wanted to let Cybertron know there could be beauty down in the slums of Chaon. 


	19. Chapter 19

A/N

The first song here is "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire and the second is "I Don't Care" by Fall Out Boy.

Ch 19: I Don't Care if you Wake Up

-Skyseam's POV-

My optics slowly flicker on as I feel the sedatives fading from my systems. Breakdown was sitting in the chair Knockout had occupied last orn. I give him a smile and take an inhale. That's when I panicked. They had removed my nose.

"You took off my nose?" I ask in astonishment as I whip my head to the side, hearing a tinkling noise.

"Don't worry, you're almost done and you really don't need your nose. Half the bots in Chaon don't have that component considering this style is all the rage. But since most bots and cons react badly to having no olfactory sensor I compensated it by adding sensory tendrils to the back off your head. They function like an olfactory sensor by detecting scents and telling your processor what it is you're 'smelling'. Not to mention it makes you look more fetching."

I sigh. "But I don't need to look more fetching. Looking pretty does nothing for you on the battle field."

Breakdown rolls his optics and picks up a paint gun. "I'm no paint bot and I have to say your paint job isn't going to be as great as your last one but it's better than nothing." I relax as he approaches, painting most of my frame chrome then evening it out with an equal amount of black to my wings and under the plating that had been painted chrome.

He pulls out a can of red paint and applies careful details over my frame. After he adds the last brush stroke he goes back to his chair and we both wait for the paint to dry, only he got to watch, not that he found it interesting. To pass the time I start singing one of the earth songs in my memory banks. "Something filled up my spark with nothing, someone told not to cry, now that I'm older, my spark colder, and I can't see that it's alive."

"What is that?"

"Singing. Children, wake up, hold your mistakes up, before they turn the summer into dust. If children don't grow up, our bodies get bigger but out hearts get torn up-"

"Maybe I should sedated you again." I shut my mouth. "Your voice is pretty scratchy. I can fix that for you."

I sigh. "Sure, why not?"

He approaches me and carefully cuts open my neck cables to pull out my voice box. He pries it open gently and starts piping the metal back into its original shape. It was weird, watching someone rip something out of your throat and not feel it.

He maneuvers some of the pieces then welds them in place. After a few klicks he welds the box closed and places it back where it belongs, reattaching several wires he had previously pulled. "Now try."

"Blah blah blah." I say, my voice no unaccompanied by the scratch it had acquired. "Thanks, do I owe you extra?" He welds my neck cables back in place.

"No since I didn't have to use any spare parts." He takes out a buffer. "Now this will tickle but it's the finishing touch. Also, I'm turning your pain sensors back on." He taps something into a data pad that was hooked to my processor. As soon as he finishes my body blisters into pain. "I forgot to warn you, reconstruction is painful."

"No kidding." I whine, my body sagging. As Breakdown begins buffing the pain subsides to a dull ache, nothing I couldn't live with. Half a joor later he finishes up and motions for me to step down from the berth. He caught me as I fell, unused to the small peds I was built on. My legs were thin and a bit longer and my waist looked fragile. Perhaps this wasn't a good idea. Breakdown stands me up and tilts me back a little.

"Walk with your back straight and try to keep your peds balanced. Tip yourself only a little in the wrong way and you'll be on the floor." I does as he says, taking a careful step forward. He had erected a mirror in the back of the room next to all the plating they had removed from me and hadn't used. Walking over to it I take a glance at my new frame.

The first word that came to mind was exotic. To check my maneuverability I slide into a dance. Satisfied that I hadn't fallen over after a few klicks I turn back to Breakdown. "I love it. Tell the red mech that I appreciate helping you. He was in here yesterday."

I walk towards the door and take a step outside before turning back around. "Anything I shouldn't be doing?"

"Don't get into any fights for awhile. I say fourteen Orns should be enough for you to fully gauge the power of your frame." I turn and walk back out. Just as I walk out the front door I wonder just how safe I was out here without with me. All the recruits I picked up were probably being trained right now and I wasn't permitted back to the sewers until the end of the decacycle. A rumble in my tanks makes me freeze mid step. I needed to get some energon. I begin eyeing a stand that sold energon sticks and began to wonder just how much it would cost me to buy some. I did only have forty two credits left.

"Hey you." Someone calls behind me. I turn to see two guard bots motioning to me, beckoning me to what appeared to be a pleasure bot building. I walk over cautiously and one of them bends to my level. "Hey there girly, how would you like to make some quick credits? Don't worry; I'm not after an interface." I didn't know if I could believe that or not but my tanks weren't about to turn down an offer for some credits.

"What would you have me do?" I ask, slinging my hip to the side and cross my arms.

They lead me inside and direct me to the stage where several other femmes and mechs stood waiting by the edge. The mech on stage was being yelled at by one of three mechs sitting at a table. Gently the guard bots push me over to the line and I feel several optics turn on me, including several two of the mechs at the table.

"Next!" The main bot yells angrily. Apparently this had been going on for awhile. The people I was in a line with step back, leaving me sticking out. "Well come on, I don't have all decacycle!" The main mech shouts at me and I walk up the stage steps.

One of the other mechs at the table motions for the main one to sit down. "Name and model please?" He asks as his optics travel over my body.

"Skyseam, seeker." The others in the room look at each other in confusion.

"I assume you've had body work done?" The third mech at the table asks.

"Yes, I just came out of the shop." The second mech, who had asked my name, goes to writing on a data pad.

"Tell me Skyseam, can you sing?" He asks, looking up again.

"Well, others say I can. I just do it when I'm bored."

"Can you sing us something? Anything at all, I don't even have to know it." A stage hand offers me a mic and I hook it into a jack at the base of my wrist. At least that hadn't been changed.

Music begins to blare from the speakers as I select my choice and I wiggle my wings to prepare myself. "Say my name, and his in the same breath, I dare you to say they taste the same, Let the leaves fall off in the summer  
>And let December glow in flames."<p>

I watch the mechs as I sing, swinging my hips in time with the tune then easing into a high step dance. "Brace myself and let go, Start it over again in Mexico. These friends, they don't love you, They just love the hotel suites, now."

I lean forward and place a servo on my knee, wagging a digit on the other one. "I don't care what you think. As long as it's about me. The best of us can find happiness  
>In misery." Well I certainly was in misery but perhaps there was an upside somewhere. "I don't care what you think, As long as it's about me. The best of us can find happiness<br>In misery."

"Oh, take a chance, let your body get a tolerance; I'm not a chance, but a heat wave in your pants. Pull a breath like another cigarette, pawn shop, I'm trading up." As I play out the motions to the lyrics I see the approval on the mechs face plates.

"I'm the oracle in my chest, Let the guitar scream like a fascist, Sweat it out, shut your mouth, Free love on the streets, but In the alley and I ain't that cheap, now,"

"I don't care what you think, As long as it's about me, The best of us can find happiness, In misery." I sing the chorus four more times letting my voice get higher and more drawn out as I went. As I finish with a flourish I hear the gathered mechs and femmes giving me a round of applause.

I offer the mechs at the table a bow. The first one stands up and points to me. "You're hired!" Hired for what? 


	20. Chapter 20

A/N This one isn't Skyseam centric. And Windbreaker is supposed to be sort of a name joke as in Break Wind.

Ch 20: A Change in Leadership

-Starscream's POV-

Giving a haughty sigh I pull myself of the wall and go to lean over Optimus' helm. Dragging a digit across his windshields I take a peek at what he was working on. "Starscream what do you want?" Optimus asks. I knew he was smiling when he said it though, my spark told me it was so.

Gently I trail my digits over his sensitive antennae. "I'm bored, let's do something fun." I could tell by the way he wiggled under my touch that he knew what kind of fun I was entailing. "Set aside the work for now." I pull myself off of him and move to sit on the desk. "You do look like you could go for a good interface." I say as I drag my digits over my frame and into my interface panels, uttering a slight moan. Optimus chuckles and stands up, sliding himself in between my legs and retracting his face mask.

As our lip components meet I feel his servos running over my frame and poking into the most sensitive areas. As I turn the long kiss into feverish little ones he caresses my wings. Rubbing my servos over his neck cables I delight in his sudden burst of urgency.

Letting our interface panels slide open I'm just about to hook us up when the sound of the door sliding up makes me halt. "Disgusting. Shouldn't you two keep that thing out of the office?" Despite the words I hook Optimus in and start sending through pulses. As I moan and writhe I tip my helm backwards to see a green and silver seeker standing in the doorway, sneer on his face.

"Last I knew I didn't invite you to comment." I pant out as I gently rub Optimus' windshield wipers. This got me an erotic pulse along my lines. Optimus was too busy kissing a line over my frame to pay attention to this little intrusion.

The new seeker sneers again and brushes his digits through the air over an empty holster on his right leg, probably where he kept a blaster. Optimus cradles my helm and pulls me into a long kiss. When he breaks away he looks up at the intrusion. "I don't believe I gave permission for you to come in. You don't look like an official and I haven't received any notice you'd be coming by. However if you leave now my mate and I'll spare some time for you later." The seeker snorts but leaves. "Quit doing that Star." He says into my audios as the pulses become more rapid.

"I'm sorry, I just don't like it when upstarts barge in like that. Besides, I love the sound of your voice." I purr back. My answer is several nips at my neck cables, spurring me on to overload.

As both of our systems flood with the energy burst of completion he pulls me off the desk and sits me on his lap as he sits in the chair. I rest my helm in the crook between his neck cables and shoulder plate and gently untangle our interface lines, replacing them back to where they belonged half the time.

We sit in the silence with Optimus lightly stroking my arm and back. "See, I told you, you needed an interface. Now, I better go see what that little slag heap wants." I gently get up and place a parting kiss to his lip components. "Tonight we can enjoy each others company all throughout that house of yours." Optimus kisses my servo as a parting gesture and I give him a smile before stomping out of the room.

The seeker was glowering at Bluestreak who was glowering right back. As I walk up to him I swing out an arm and wrap it around his neck cables. "Now, tell me what you came here for."

"My name is Windbreaker and we can start with you not touching me." He snaps at me. For Bluestreak's sanity I pull the little upstart out the door and fling him on the ground.

"There, I'm not touching you. I was being polite before but you're wearing my patience thin."

"I was sent here by Vos command. I'm a trine leader and you should treat me with respect." Finally snapping I pull him off the ground and slam him into a wall.

"I am Starscream, second in command of the Decepticons, leader of the Elite trine, and bonded to Optimus Prime." With each declaration I slammed him into the wall. "YOU will treat ME with respect!" I had him scared now, his once cocky optics flickering with distress. "Now clarify or Primus help me I will make you resemble the heap of slag you are!" I wouldn't really, Optimus would know. A glance to the side told me Bluestreak was watching anyway, probably taping it and saving it in his processor to share later.

"Thrust sent me, said I was the best candidate for a trine leader." With a sneer I drop him and place a digit in his face.

"Let's get a few things straight. You will never be a better leader than Skyseam. Despite what Thrust says a sniveling whelp such as yourself couldn't possibly hope to fill her peds. Head to the guest house and I suggest you reign in that attitude of yours or as the All Spark is the building blocks of Cybertronians you will be torn apart." He races away from me and I turn to look at Bluestreak. "Let me guess. You're sending that to Ironhide?"

"Better believe it, might as well send it to a few others. You know, you really are a good actor. Had me going there for a second. Actually thought you were going to smash in his face."

-Freefall's POV-

"This isn't fair, I doubt there's anyone still looking." I mutter as I pace back and forth. Cloudstrutter was sitting on my berth, his full attention on me.

"We should be the ones out there looking for her. We know her best." He says in reply, his voice snapping with anger. "But it's always 'Oh, you're an apprentice trine and not even a full one at that. You'll only get hurt.'"

"Don't they realize she means as much or more to us as she does to them?" I snap back.

"Freefall, Cloudstrutter, you're needed in the main room." Thundercracker calls through his calm link. Strut and I exchange a look before heading out. By TC's tone I could tell we weren't going to enjoy this.

Stepping into the front room I see a new seeker, green and silver, standing to attention with a bored expression. His optics follow me and Strut as we go and stand next to our mentors. We both assume comfortable poses which earns us a sneer. "Pathetic, and you call yourselves seekers?"

I note the sky blue paint scratched into his neck cables and I smirk. "You'll have to excuse us, our trine leader has gone missing. However it appears you already met our mentors' trine leader." I scratch at my neck cables.

The new seeker glares and walks over then slaps me across the faceplates. Before he can take a step back I use an old trick Skyseam had taught me back when I had first met her. Ducking down I swiftly swing to the side and slam my leg into his frame. "Don't touch me unless you want a fight." I say as he holds his side and I return to my stance.

"How dare you! I am your trine leader!" Strut snorted a laugh.

"Someone's delusional. I could have sworn we said our leader was missing."

"Well Vos command pronounced your leader dead." I grab the upstart and throw him on the floor then press a ped onto his cockpit firmly. Out of the corner of my optic I see TC and Warp give each other a low five.

"It can be a thousand vorns and Skyseam will still be my leader. But since you're now where you belong why don't we start of on the right ped by having introductions. I'm Freefall. My wing mate is Cloudstrutter. Our mentors are Thundercracker and Skywarp. Now how about you?"

"It's Windbreaker and you will get off me this instant!"

"Let me guess. You come from one of the few rich families in Vos. Well let me tell you something. That high and mighty attitude did nothing for me with Skyseam and that high and mighty attitude won't get you anywhere with me." With a last shove I move off of him and head to TC. "Do you think you and I could go for a flight? The air in here tastes foul."

"Of course. Hey Warp, wanna come with?"

"Why not, come on Strut." As the four of us leave I could feel Windbreaker's optics boring into our backs.

-Optimus' POV-

I sit still in one of the chairs I kept in the main room. Starscream was shouting, not at me but at Thrust. The call itself was now drawing onto three joors and they were still yelling about the same subject. As I sit and listen to the same argument on a loop I figured it was a seeker thing.

"It's his type of attitude that started the fragging war in the first place bolt brain!... Who gives a slag he was the top of his classes... Transfer him out or something... You know what, this argument has been pointless for the past three joors, ten klicks, and forty eight nanoklicks. I'm hanging up." Just like that he cuts his connection but still keeps pacing. Sighing I reach out a servo, grab him as he goes past, and pull him onto my lap.

"Listen, I know you're mad but you have to make the best of the situation. So Windbreaker is another Sentinel Prime, doesn't have to be that way if you change it. I read that Freefall was the same way but when I see him I don't draw a connection between him and Windbreaker." Starscream let's out a sigh and presses his helm to mine.

"I know. Although I trust Soundwave's words I can't help but feel concern for Skyseam. I don't want another apprentice because I'm still hoping she'll come back and everything will return to the way it was." I caress his cheek plate as he speaks.

"Life isn't always fair."

"Don't tell me about fairness. I lived a nightmare for so many Vorns I don't know if I can count them all. I know exactly how life isn't fair." He takes a shuddering breath. "And right now Skyseam is experiencing that nightmare." 


	21. Chapter 21

Ch 21: Tread Softly

-Skyseam's POV-

I sit at my table, looking at me reflection in the polished crystal. I had begun working as a singer for a popular night club. When I was hurting enough for credits I would also subject myself to interfacing which never turned out well. The ones who used me walked away satisfied while I was left with the feeling of dying inside.

Sighing I take out a polishing rag and start rubbing my faceplates down. My decacycle would be up soon which meant Megatron would be expecting me back. So far he had left me alone in my mind, perhaps too busy doing something else.

"Hey, Silverlining, private customer for you." Ventilating my systems I put down the cloth and get up. Walking over to the door I nod to the guard bot who gives me a sad look. "Don't let these mechs keep bashin you around Silver. The boss won't care if you defend yourself."

I pat his arm and stand on the tips of my peds to place a small kiss on his cheek plate. "If I don't then my customers will run dry. But you know if they take it too far I'll bash them back. It'll be alright Skyhammer." I pass him by with a parting pat and head into the next room to meet whoever had hired me.

I immediately want to gag. Right before me stood the triple changer I hated the most, Threeway. Putting on my mask of indifference I step around him with a sneer. "Hard to believe you can afford me. You do realize you have to show me the creds exist first right?" It was true that I charged a lot; I only hired out to the rich patrons. I knew a triple changer from the slums couldn't pay me what I charged.

"Give me a price and we can start negotiations."

I step away from him, swaying my hip joints. "I don't think you get it. There is no haggling here." The next instant I'm swung around and my face plate meets Threeway's olfactory sensor.

"I've heard about you and I know you're pulling my wing struts. You're a dirty little femme who enjoys getting raped. I don't see why I shouldn't have my way with you without paying."

I shove him off and point to the door. "Whoever gave you your information can shove it back up their tail pipes. As for you Threeway, I never want to see your face again!" I storm past him to be grabbed yet again.

"You, you called me by name but I've never met you. Why is that?" I freeze in place. I had just compromised my identity. "No, you couldn't be. Skyseam?" Turning slowly I lock optics with him and knew that he knew it was me.

"You will let go right now and you will tell no one about who I am or where I am. Do I make myself clear?" Threeway chuckles darkly and drags me against him.

"Then I do believe we've reached a deal." I snap my optics shut and the next instant I hear the sound of a saw cutting into something. As warm energon sprays my face I crack open an optic to see the red mech I had met at the beginning of the decacycle. He had cut Threeway's head straight off. As the triple changer's body collapses on me the red mech offers a servo up.

"I do believe that if you want a femme, or a mech for that matter, to do you any interfacial favors then you treat them with respect. Of course that's not how Cybertron works, let alone Chaon."

"Thank you... um..."

"Ah, that's right, I never introduced myself. Knockout."

I chuckle and wipe at the energon. "I can see you are but what's your designation?"

"That is my designation." He replies.

"Well, at least it fits." I sigh. "Good thing this is Chaon where there is no semblance of law other wise we'd both be locked up for murder." 

I motion for him to follow me into my private wash racks and wet a cloth. "As a favor to you would you let me wash you off?" I ask.

"Don't bother, I like mechs and I've had my fill of pleasure for the night." He takes the cloth from my servos and starts cleaning himself off. Smiling I wet another cloth and sit on the edge of the wash tub. "So tell me, how did you wind up in a place like this?" He asks after awhile.

"Well, it was the same day I walked out of your shop. I was ringed in for a singing audition, performed an earth song, and then was hired on the spot. Same day they shipped me here, fed me, then set on their stage. Bam, instant hit overnight, business starts to boom and I decided I liked it here although my private customers treat me like slag." He pokes my on the faceplate.

"You missed a spot." I wipe the indicated area.

"Anyway, how did you end up here?"

"Hm? Oh, I was invited. Apparently someone has been going around saying they got frame work done over at my shop. This has been my first orn off for awhile now. But I guess I should thank you." He offers a servo and I give it a look. "I know you know what I'm doing. You offered the same gesture to Breakdown who taught it to me."

I shake his servo with a wink and sigh as a bell chimes. "Well I have another customer."

"I thought with all that information you just gave me you'd earn enough from singing." I halt at his words. Not turning I decide to give him the truth, sort of.

"I give the majority of my credits to help supply my family. None of us are energon related though so it seems funny when I call all eighty of them my family. Only forty of us have jobs truth to tell." I prepare to head out again when he stops me once more.

"There are rumors whispered everywhere in Chaon. I've heard they go all over Cybertron."

"And what are these rumors?" I ask after a moment's hesitation.

"Shadowcons are the new Decepticons. They bear the same symbol only theirs is red with four lines scored underneath. This family you mention and the mark on your back make me think you're part of this secret army." The bell rings again and I sigh.

"I have to go."

"Just promise you'll be careful, you weren't easy to rebuild and I'm far better at destroying thinks rather than fixing them."

-Several Orns Later-

I stood stock still as Megatron paced around me. Apparently he had repairs done since he walked perfectly fine and his plating glowed in the dim lights of the sewer. "How ugly. A shame you had to have yourself remade. Although your last frame was weak it still held some beauty to it. Some semblance of strength."

He halts in front of me and presses his face plate to mine, optics looking straight into mine. "You disgust me so much I don't think I ever want to see you unless it's necessary." He pulls away and stomps off without another word. Just as he's about to turn into a side tunnel he turns back to me. "And tell that red mech you hang out with anything about what we're doing and you'll wish for your sturdier form again.


	22. Chapter 22

Ch 22: Sparks

-Optimus POV-

"You want me to go to what now?" I ask. Starscream sighs for the third time and leans on my desk.

"The Skre Etera Fushieea. That's Seeker for Areal dynamic Championships. No one outside of the seekers is allowed to see it but I managed to make you an exception. Its only ever held in peacetime and only every held in Vos. So are you coming or not?" He asks, scratching lightly at the plating over his spark.

"Uh, sure, is something wrong? You keep scratching that spot." Starscream looks down at my words and frowns. "Perhaps you should get Ratchet to check you over for plate corrosion."

"Maybe later. Right now Windbreaker is in the Med Bay. Freefall beat the slag out of him again. Almost full decacycle and he's still a pompous aft." Starscream replies, looking even more closely at his plating. "Besides, I've seen plate corrosion before, a constant problem among our foot soldiers, and it starts with rust then begins to itch."

Just then I hear his audio crackle into life. "Get this good for nothing piece of slag out of my med bay or Primus so help me I'll make it so he's just a burn mark on my floor." Starscream flinches at how loud Ratchet was yelling.

"Yeah, I'll go get him." He sighs, his ruby optics glinting with disgust.

"Don't you think you're being a little too hard on Windbreaker?" I ask just as he gets up. He frowns, probably sensing that I was trying to coax him through our spark bond.

"I guess you're right. But I'm not letting up from him. Skyseam took everything I threw at her and could still stand straight at the end of the day."

"Maybe you should stop comparing him to Skyseam. He might react more favorably." Starscream grabs the arms on my chair and leans forward till his helm touched mine.

"Here's an idea, you teach him a few ground fighting techniques and I'll bother Ratchet to check me over for corrosion. If you can make it through three joors of time spent training Windbreaker then I will perform any interface fantasy you want."

I smirk behind my mask. "You're setting yourself up for failure sugar thrusters."

Starscream smirks back, red eyes glinting dangerously. "We'll see about that Sweet Spark." He kisses my face guard and heads out.

-Half a Joor Later-

Tapping my digits on the desk I wait for Windbreaker. It was only a ten klick walk from the med bay to here, fifteen if you dragged your peds. So where was he?

Getting up I head for my door. Just as the door slides up the green and silver seeker walks in. Bluestreak looked the epitome of bored. Apparently it wasn't only my mate who detested Windbreaker's presence.

"I do believe you were supposed to be here twenty klicks ago. Care to explain your absence?" I said it politely and kept my stance neutral but my question still received a glare.

"I don't need to explain myself to a ground crawling idiot like you." I could see why my mate had no patience with him, but I would still try.

"Alright, then we better get a move on." I place my servo to my audio. "Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, meet me in the fifth training room." Two beeps tell me they heard and I wave a servo to Windbreaker, leaving a chuckling Bluestreak behind.

"Ugh, more grounders? I was told that I was to go to you for training not boredom." I say nothing as I lead him to the fifth training room. Sunny and Sides where already there, leaning on a few metal posts.

The Lamborghini twins smirk at my temporary charge. "Windbreaker, meet Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, meet Windbreaker. During the war on Earth Sunny and Sides here were two of our main fighters set against the Decepticon seekers." I motion for the twins to head towards the other end of the room. "Today I want to see how well you respond to Ground Fighters. Don't worry about hitting them just bear in mind that they will fight back. You may begin anytime you want."

I hand him my blaster and he takes off. Sunny and Sides were already scrambling every which way, taunting him as he shot and missed every time. Sideswipe runs out in front of him and flips his middle digit at him. Too bad Windbreaker wasn't paying attention to Sunstreaker who just shot upwards and tackled him.

Windbreaker tries unsuccessfully to throw the smaller mech off of him. Sideswipe joins in and in a few nanoklicks they had Windbreaker pinned to the ground. "Now let's try that again." I say as the twins stand up.

-Starscream's POV-

"Good news and better news. You don't have corrosion." Ratchet tells me as he sets aside his data pad. "The better news is you are sparked."

Somehow his words don't click in my helm. "I'm what?" Ratchet sighs.

"Sparked, do I need to spell it for you? S-P-A-R-K-E-D! But you're only half a decacycle in meaning you got sparked on your ceremonial night. Lucky you. So should I let Optimus know or do you want that duty?"

Unfortunately Optimus walks in at that point, several smoking holes in his plating. Thankfully it looked cosmetic. "What the Pit happened to you?" Ratchet asks.

"Well, for starters I lost. Windbreaker shot me halfway into training, figuring I was the easier target although I wasn't part of the training exercise. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are taking it out of his plating as we speak. So, are you clean Starscream?"

"Uh, well… I don't have corrosion but I do have news that I'm not sure how you'll take."

"What kind of news?"

'Well, how do you feel about designing a nursery?' I ask over our bond. His face guard slides back to show me his smile.

'Depends on how big you want to make that nursery and with how many berths.'

-Skyseam's POV-

Drawing my spark out carefully I look at the smaller spark floating around mine. It was red at the center surrounded by a grey edge. I knew exactly who it belonged to, no matter how many mechs and femmes I had slept with.

I see Windstorm watching me out of the corner of my optic but she wasn't going to stop me. With precise aim I pluck the smaller spark out from my chamber and hold it in my servo. I knew just how cold this act I was performing was, how low and disgusting and utterly monstrous.

Squeezing my servo shut I crush the spark into non existence. All that was left in my servo when I opened it was a fine dust. "Sleep my child, and know that if you were born you would have never truly known love." I blow into my open servo and watch as the dust scatters away.

Sliding my plating closed I glance over at Windstorm who was covering her mouth with her servos and beginning to cry. "I know you despise me but know that it would have grown to be just like its creator. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a championship to go to."

A/N

Reviews are love people.


	23. Chapter 23

Ch 23

-Skyseam's POV-

As I head towards the nearest exit a cold presence grips my processor. 'Come here, now.' Sliding my peds around I turn and start heading down the tunnel to find out what Megatron wanted now.

When I found him he was watching several hastily erected monitor screens. "I want to congratulate you sweet spark. I know what you did. Such a cold action for one as weak as you." He turns to me, a grin spreading across his faceplates. "Even now you're outwardly impassive but I know how your insides churn. My own bonded mate, a sparkling killer." He caresses my cheek plate. "You've skipped a whole step my dear. But don't worry, it will only get easier. For your sparkless act I promise to not invade your mind or your body for the next ten orns."

He kisses my helm lovingly then turns me and gently shoves me to the door. "Go on to your tournament and bring back some recruits if you can." As I walk away I feel something slip away from my processor and a weight lifts from my frame.

Shockwave was waiting for me near the exit, his single optic locking with mine. "How does it feel, to know that you've surpassed that coward Starscream that you're so fond of? He was faced with a choice once. He could kill a sparkling or be beaten almost to his death. Coward wouldn't save his own plating that time. Should have seen his face, how tormented he looked as he pointed a blaster at that little one." Brushing him off I climb the ladder. He was still talking as I slammed the cover closed.

Buckling over I grasp my midriff and feel my tanks purge. My pipes burn as I expel what energon I had drunk that morning. A gentle servo rubs my back and I glance upwards. "Are you okay there?"

I nearly scramble backwards, it was that shuttle former I had attacked awhile ago. His optics look at me with genuine concern. "Ah, yeah. I... I'll be alright." He brushes a gentle servo across my face plates and I flinch backwards.

"Come on, I'm not that scary. No need to cry." I wipe my own wet face plates and get up, dusting myself down. "So, what type of model are you anyway?" He asks and I halt.

"Uh, modified seeker. My name is Silverlining by the way." Hopefully my stage name would throw him off.

"Skyfire. You look like you know this area pretty well." He remarks. I walk out of the empty ally and out onto the street. Of course he followed. "I was wondering if you could assist me."

That's when it hit me. What was he doing in the ally? He wouldn't have unless he was waiting for something, or someone. "If you're out hunting Shadowcons then I can't help you." A red mech comes out of nowhere and slams me into the nearest wall. Of course I could expect no help from passerby in Chaon.

"What do you know about Shadowcons?" He demands, his accent reminding me of Spitfire.

"Ironhide put her down, violence won't work." Ironhide only pushes harder at Skyfire's words.

"Do your worst. I can guarantee that I've received worse." I hiss out at him, a sadistic smile sneaking up my faceplates. The sound of a spinning saw makes me look over.

"I suggest you drop my bondmate. I do so hate having to clean my saws when I get finished tearing someone open, although I'm pretty good at it." Knockout says. I knew for a fact that Breakdown wouldn't be far behind.

Ironhide drops me and I move over to Knockout, prepared to build on the act. Knockout reverts his servo back to normal and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me against him. "Now, I know she didn't provoke such a fight so I must ask, is there a problem?" By now several modified mechs were lounging around us in a loose circle.

"Give it up Ironhide, we're surrounded." Skyfire says with a sigh.

"I ain't gonna be no Shadowcon prisner." Ironhide spits in reply. A quick glance tells me the only Shadowcons in the crowd were from my twenty guns, or so they called themselves. I'd still had to be cautious.

"We don't take prisoners. But rest assured, I'm cutting you both loose." Hopefully the shuttle spoke Seeker. Chirping at him I convey my message. "And if you stick around I can try to get you an informant." Skyfire's optics shine a little brighter but the corners of his lip components fall slightly.

"An informant would be helpful." He replies in kind. "Mind telling me who you are?" I sneer slightly at his words and recognition flashes through his optics. "Close to Starscream then, I've only ever seen him sneer exactly like that."

"Tell them it's Skyseam but for identity reasons call me Silverlining." I start walking away. "Well, I do have a championship to go to, and I dare not be late." I say in universal.

As I walk past Knockout I walk my servo over his shoulder plate. He follows me, maybe keeping up the act. Soon enough Breakdown falls in next to Knockout. "That was fast thinking. I owe you one."

"You would owe me more than one if he had done extensive damage."

"Well, since I know you won't accept interfacial favors from femmes what would you like in return?"

He falls quiet and I look over to see Breakdown shaking his head. Had I said something wrong? Breakdown coughs, prompting a response from his partner. "Fine. I was thinking an outing of sorts. So we could get better… acquainted."

"Sure. Hey, I'll catch up in a few orns, like I said, I have a competition to go to." I transform and stop at a hover at Knockouts beckoning.

"Why do you have to go to a competition anyway?" I drift in a lazy circle around him.

"All seekers are summoned, even modified ones, to Vos for peacetime traditions. Held by seekers, for seekers, and only seekers. If a particular seeker does not show up then assumptions start flying and they track you down."

"You can't tell them you're Skyseam."

"I won't have to. Skyseam was proclaimed dead by Vos officials. Silverlining has gained notice as the only seeker in Chaon thus I will go as her." With these words I charge into the sky and set my sights on Vos.

-Optimus' POV-

"What are these competitions anyway? I ask as I sit across from Starscream in a shuttle bound for Vos.

"Well there are several events, the first orn is air superiority. All participating seekers must forfeit their weapons and use only their abilities for the event. Last seeker in the air claims the win. Thundercracker won the last time." He smiles with pride for his trine mate. Since I was ground bound all the other seekers had flown up while Starscream insisted on taking a shuttle with me.

"The next event is?"

"A race. The seekers fly around the moons of Cybertron and the first to come back wins no powers are permitted though." I hold up a servo.

"Let me guess on who won that one. Starscream?"

"What makes you say that?" He asks with a coy smile.

"Well, you are, after all, the fastest flier in existence. Are you participating?" I ask wearily.

"No. I would never risk cutting any sort of energy to the little one." His digits flutter over his spark chamber. "The event after that is sparing. You are only permitted to fight with your peds or servos. No abilities are allowed as are no weapons. Your are forbidden to attack your enemy if he falls to the ground, if he surrenders, or if he is no longer fit to fight."

"Is that the last event?"

"Yes but the final day is for celebrating the victors and who they choose to honor." The shuttle lands and Starscream jumps up, clearly excited.

He grabs my servo and tugs me along to the door impatiently. "Why are you so impatient?" I chuckle.

"Skyseam has to show up. She'll be here."

"And if she isn't?"

"The seeker enforcers will go after her personally. To refuse the invitation to these events is to say you are defying seeker law. The only way they won't go after her is due to a reported death... I hope that's not the case."

Just then my private comm. link spurred to life. "Prime?"

"Ironhide?"

"It appears I'm going to be staying in this dump Chaon for a while longer. We found the missing seekress, confirmed Shadowcon, she's willing to be an informant."

"That's great. Is she going by an alias or something?"

"Yeah, Silverlining, but I caution you to refrain from telling too many bots. I'm going to head back out for more scouting. Chaon is a slag heap, the entire area is a red signal district. Far different from Kaon where Soundwave bases himself out of even though their technically in the same territory."

"I'll be expecting a report later. Optimus out." By now Starscream and I were wading through the crowd that had massed around a coliseum.

"Good news I hope?" He asks, warily watching the crowd. I lock optics with a strange looking seeker whose yellow orange optics flickered as she gave me a smile.

"Skyseam is alive, going under the guise of Silverlining. Engaging her is highly unadvisable. She's agreed to be an informant." Starscream scoffs.

"She's desperate. I don't blame her, being trapped with Megatron is a waking nightmare. But if I know Megatron he'll find out and he'll beat her. He'll beat her until she can barely move." We drop into silence.

"I figure if she has to live like that then she'll want to die anyway." Gently Starscream slips his servo in mine and gives it a squeeze. I could tell what I said had dealt a blow to him and I pull him in for a quick embrace. "Everything works out in the end. Remember that the dawn always arrives after the night."

"Ugh, there you two are! Good thing I'm not saddled with a ground pounder otherwise I'd always be late." I glance up at Skywarp who lands next to us with a smirk. Starscream punched him lightly.

"Yeah? Well I love being late for that exact reason. Well, we best go claim our seats." He drags me up a flight of steps and passed a roped off area to a landing with plush seats and a great view of both the air and ground areas. Glancing to my right I notice an extremely lavish display of cloth and soft metals.

"Who sits there?" I ask and Starscream looks over.

"That would be the emissary of Vos, the members of the Vos royal family, figureheads really, and their guests." He tugs me over to the front seat and makes me sit down, plopping himself down in my lap which I found pleasant.

Trumpets blare and a single line of seekers wrap around the circle of the ground. Looking up I noticed not even half the seats in the stadium were filled. Reading off our spark bond Starscream slumps a little. "We're dying off. That's why all the seats aren't filled." A rustle to my right makes me look over to the royalty box where seekers of every color were beginning to seat. Thrust looks over and raises a servo in polite greeting. I return the gesture and glance back to the arena.

"Attention femmes and gentlemechs, welcome to the annual peacetime championships. We have a special guest with us for these events. For the first time in seeker history a ground mech will partake in spectating." Instantly I feel all optics zero in on me. 


	24. Chapter 24

Ch 24

-Skyseam's POV-

As the announcer speaks I glance to my left. Right next to me was my old comrade Freefall and next to him was Cloudstrutter. However my sight was drawn to a green and silver mech who stood to Strut's left. He catches my optics and straightens himself more, giving me a wink and a sly smile. I hold in my disgusted sneer.

"Today we have participants from all over Cybertron. Allow me to introduce..." The announcer begins to rattle off names and I keep track of which seeker stepped forward. "Windbreaker." The green and silver seeker steps forward, optics on me. "Cloudstrutter and Freefall. All are participants coming from Iacon." So this no doubt full of himself slag heap had replaced me. At least I knew Starscream wouldn't have requested it. I wonder briefly how he was holding up with my demanding mentor.

"Last but not least is Silverlining hailing from Chaon as the only seeker in that area." I could hear the disconcerted murmurs even from down here. Yes, I was a prostitute. That didn't mean I couldn't fight.

"Our first event will be the ability and endurance contest. All seekers are only permitted to use abilities and their body to take down all the others. Last seeker to stay in the air wins. You may begin."

As one the seekers take flight and I immediately zoom to the edge. It was going to be difficult using one of my abilities I employed two although one was an upgrade from Soundwave, considering I hardly ever used it. Immediately I sense someone on my tail. Halting immediately I drop a little so my pursuer flies overhead.

Slamming my thrusters back on I zoom up to the mech and transform, landing on his wings. As he tries to shake me I stomp down on his frame and ignite my thruster into his own to stall it and send him crashing.

Finally I feel my ability flick on. Three mechs who were heading straight for me flipped in panic as I vanished from sight. Although I seemed invisible it wasn't true. Basically what I was doing was manipulating the air around me to veil me from sight and sensor.

Flying upwards I watch my trine at work and this new mech Windstorm. Cloudstrutter naturally had two abilities that actually went servo in servo with each other. When he wished his thrusters emitted a heavy smoke which resembled clouds. Once the smoke was deployed he could warp anywhere in it far faster than Skywarp. Although if you took him out of the cloud he became noticeably slower.

Freefall had the ability the destabilize you with a touch but only in the air. Already he had taken out four other seekers.

Windbreaker employed a tactic that was to fly in front of his target and literally suck all air from the area behind him, stalling his targets' air filtration units and causing their fans to fail.

I drop my guise and plummet at two seekers who were charging each other. Just as I dive past I slam my arms into their wings, making them spin and run into each other, knocking them both out at the same time. Now it was down to just Strut, Fall, Windbreaker, and I. I rise up to face Freefall and note the smoke drifting down to encompass us both.

Flickering my stealth systems back on I cut the noise on my thrusters and drift to the side. Several times Freefall blew right past, servos sparking as he went. All of a sudden the smoke dissipated and I glance up, letting my guise fall.

Cloudstrutter freezes up from his path behind Windbreaker who was grinning as he sucked all the air out from around Strut's frame. I notice Freefall a little bit away from me, watching as well but with a vicious look on his faceplates. Turning back I see Cloudstrutter drop, his thrusters stopping from lack of energy flow. As I rocket after him I call up "Take care of Windbreaker, I've got this!"

Catching my former comrade's frame right as it hit ten feet I slam on my thrusters to help take pressure off our crash. On landing I drop Strut to the ground and call for a medic. Of course all the other medics were busy. Cursing I lightly slap Strut's face. "Come on, stay with me Cloudstrutter."

I pry at his turbines and find them wedged with bits of metal. Thankful for my sharp digits I dip them into his fans and begin frantically pulling the bits out.

As I work I realize I wasn't going to be able to do it fast enough. Placing my mouth over his I force air into his systems, still working on his fans. As I pull another breath in I kick in the turbines on my shoulder plates and direct the air flow at his rapidly heating frame.

With a final push I manage to make the fan function and soon the other one unjams itself. Rocking back on my peds I collapse on the ground and look up to see I was surrounded.

The next moment I was jerked upwards from behind, two black arms rapping around my body and swinging me slightly side to side. "Thank Primus for you! You've saved my apprentice!"

Skywarp drops me as Cloudstrutter gains full functionality and he rushes over to scoop him up. Dusting myself off I turn to see Thrust walking towards me. "You did an honorable thing. In saving someone not of your own trine you disqualified yourself. Why did you do it?"

"He was going to crash into the ground without any chance of saving himself." Seemingly satisfied with my answer he turns and walks away. I still caught his mutter of 'soft sparked' as he walked away though. Deciding I didn't need anymore attention I walk towards the exit.

"Stop where you are." I hear a familiar voice call behind me and I half turn to see if he addressed me. Starscream was walking towards me, away from the crowd. His expression was unreadable as he stopped in front of me.

"The ambassador of Vos. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I ask, cocking my hip joint to the side and loosely crossing my arms. A small smile flickers across his faceplates.

"So you are the one called 'Silverlining'?" He air quotes and I nod. The smile disappears and is replaced by a worried frown. "Oh Seam, how far you've fallen." So he had been told.

"It was not my choice." I whisper, my smile faltering.

"Do you blame me?" He asks and I look away.

"No, I never did. You gave me the practice mission, I was the one who failed. If you'll excuse me I have to find a place to stay tonight." I turn to walk away but his servo closes on one of my shoulder plates.

"No, you are not excused. You can not expect me to let you throw yourself to the mercy of the streets." I turn back to him.

"These streets are safe compared to those on Chaon." My words seemed to make something inside him snap. He pulls me in close, his nose pressing into my faceplate. Before he could start on a rant a blue servo pulls him back. Apparently Optimus had felt his distress.

"Silverlining, for your honorable actions my mate and I would like to invite you to our lodgings for a cube of energon." Optimus states, not releasing my former mentor.

"I would love to but I must get down to business." Starscream's optics glare at me with poorly constrained anger. Optimus whispers something in his audio and he noticeably relaxes. "I know you don't agree with my course of action but if I don't find a customer then I will be recharging in the streets."

"You could stay at my place." Freefall says, walking up. It was painfully clear he didn't think it was me. "My creators would extend a welcoming servo to you I'm sure." At the mention of creators I glance around for Backfire. He'd be even more disappointed in me.

"I really don't wish to intrude." I reply, backing away. Freefall doesn't stop me as I continue towards the exit. Windbreaker flies down in front of me as I walk out of audio shot.

"So, a seeker from Chaon?" He says and I prepare to push past him. No way was I interfacing with him. A servo clamps down on my arm and turns me. "Where's the fire sugar thrusters?"

I blurted the first thing that came to my processor. "If you aren't going to pay me then release me this instant. I have no time to waste currently."

He pushes me into a wall, gently but still demanding. It was only a step down from Megatron who wasn't gentle but every bit demanding. "I thought you were a pleasure bot." He brings his face closer and I'm surprised to see an orange servo slam into his helm.

"Scum like you really tie my wiring in knots. Scram kid." I look up to see a dark orange, gold, and black seeker offering me a servo.

"Tell me my lady, did the imbecile damage you? I could not help but notice his unwanted attention." I take his servo which he uses to bring mine up to his faceplates, giving it a small kiss. A few nearby guards lounging on the walls clues me in on my company.

"Oh, I'm fine Lord Blazingskies." I manage to get out, unfamiliar with being in the presence of one of the royal family.

"Quite the contrary my dear. I couldn't help but over hear the last of your conversation with yonder mechs." He motions to Starscream, Optimus, and Freefall who had been joined by Cloudstrutter, Skywarp, and Thundercracker. "I would offer you lodgings for your stay here in Vos. It's the least I could do for such actions as you took earlier."

"Uhm, well, if you insist." I mumble. A royal invite? Now I really felt like slag.

"There you are Blazingskies, consorting once again with the commoners?" Asks a new mech, he was forest green and deep blue.

"Razorwing it is none of your business of who I keep company with. Right now all seekers matter. Everyone needs to put their best ped forward to continue our race!" Blazingskies shoots back. "Come, I'll show you to where you'll be staying noble femme."

Half a joor later of strolling around Vos, servo in servo, we arrive at the entrance to the palace. I feel myself slow down as I spot Starscream and Optimus, tempted to tell the seeker prince I'd find somewhere else to stay. A quick glance at the guard's beam axes deters that train of thought. To deny an invitation from any member of the royal family was to ask for a slow death.

Blazingskies walks me through the palace, no doubt trying to amaze me. I had seen it once before, back when Starscream had asked for the position of ambassador. I acted awe struck anyway as we traipsed through the many halls and rooms, finally ending up at a set of some of the most lavish rooms I had ever seen.

"Welcome to my quarters. If the room is not to your taste however I can locate another room for us to recharge in." I flash him a smile but feel my anger bubbling up. I _hated_ my job.

"Sir, the ambassador to Iacon would like to talk to you." A foot soldier says, running up to the door. Blazingskies frowns then sighs.

"Alright. Why don't you use the wash racks my lady. I'll bring you some energon." He walks off with the foot soldier and I head straight to the wash racks. A self of cleaners held several scents which tickled the sensors in the lines dangling from behind me head.

Taking my time I run a wash rag over my chassis and start to hum. A second pair of servos join mine, moving across my frame gently. Looking down I'm a little shocked to be looking at black servos instead of orange. "Skyseam, I know it's you."

"Freefall, you shouldn't be here. Imposing on a royal's consort is a capital offense." But even as I said it I leaned backwards, forgetting all the times I swore I hated him, all the times we fought and argued, and all the punches and insults we had thrown. "You mean more to me then I thought you did, way back then."

"Way back then? It's only been a few decacycles." He replies, a soft chuckle in his vocals as he pressed his lip components to my neck cables.

"Everything feels longer in Chaon. And that time doubles when you're trapped with Megatron." I feel him flinch behind me and his servos slide away. Turning I look back at him and his faceplates contort in misery. Gently he takes my chin in one of his servoes and places a kiss to my lip components gently.

"Losing you made me see how much I need you. If it would help I would beg you to stay and never leave again but I know that isn't possible."

"What if I made a promise to see you again someday? A promise to stand by you?" He steps away with a parting slide of his digits over my turbines.

"Then I will wait for you a thousand vorns." And just like that he was gone, taking off through the window." 


End file.
